


The Prophecy

by Freya_drabbles



Category: Frozen (Disney Movies), elsanna - Fandom
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-04
Updated: 2020-05-10
Packaged: 2021-02-26 16:43:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 59,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23471605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Freya_drabbles/pseuds/Freya_drabbles
Summary: Medieval-Fantasy AU. Elsa is a bounty hunter trying to earn some gold for rescuing a kidnapped queen. Anna is a warrior princess with a violent and abusive brother. A prophecy and an unexpected encounter will change the course of their lives and the destiny of two kingdoms at war, forever.
Relationships: Anna & Elsa (Disney), Anna/Elsa (Disney), Elsanna
Comments: 45
Kudos: 124





	1. Elsa

**Author's Note:**

> Very slow-burn, lots of world building. Don't worry, what you're looking for is going to be there.

**Prologue**

Silje was heading south at full speed, she knew there would be a camp of warriors loyal to the crown posted in that direction, but after the persecution she wasn’t sure if that path was the right one. Her horse was getting tired and her pursuers were getting closer and closer.

These men had ambushed them as soon as they had reached the banks of the Namsen River, which crossed the kingdom of Vanaheim at its western end.

She had long since parted from her court, the soldiers who were there to protect her had fallen in the blink of an eye and the ladies who accompanied her gave their lives for her to escape. She could still hear the piercing screams of one of them that had apparently been hit by those monsters. And monsters was the best way to describe them.

Horsemen covered by dark metal armor and heavily armed had appeared in front of them that quiet afternoon on their ride through the kingdom's countryside. It seemed that they had come out of hell itself.

They directly attacked the guards who were with them. One of the riders was shouting orders to the others at all times, Silje sensed that they would be their captain and she was partly right. Their voice rose above the calm of the grove, which they had entered in pursuit minutes before, when they ordered two of the warriors to pounce on the queen's white steed.

A shiver ran down the woman's back when she heard the voice of her pursuer as she urged her horse to increase the speed of the escape.

Silje didn’t know why they were persecuting her, she didn’t think she had done anything against anyone to make them want her death so fervently. But it wasn’t what worried her most at the moment, she would give her life and much more to protect the son she carried inside.

The queen had reached the end of the forest, to her right were hills and in front of the Vanaheim valley, an expanse of green and open space. She had mistaken the course and had no place to hide there. The riders continued to approach but there was no option but to move on. She stretched her body over the white horse that carried her and prepared for the worst.

She heard the sound of the hooves of those knights approaching. She felt the earth shake behind her.

The afternoon sun, which was unfolding all its summer splendor that day, began to darken. Menacing storm clouds began to block sunlight, completely plunging the Vanaheim Valley into premature darkness. Shadows darkened everything that, moments before, had been an intense green.

Beads of sweat ran down Silje's temple as two riders flanked her steed, a third sped past and galloped ahead of her. She was surrounded.

* * *

**Chapter 1 - Elsa**

Amidst the thicket of a secluded forest, a small and slender girl walked in silence. She was heading slowly towards the nearest town, just north of the Enchanted Forest, where she lived. At the northernmost tip of the continent, the farthest part of the bustling capital city of the kingdom of Vanaheim.

It had been almost three months since she had secluded herself in her little house in that uninhabited place, but it was time to hunt again. Sedentary life did not suit her, although she loved the tranquility of nature and the wise silence of her books, adventurous blood ran through her veins and she couldn’t ignore its call.

As she dodged a couple of lush trees to find the way to town, she remembered her previous prey. A petty thief who had dared to steal from a wealthy merchant in a neighboring village. The merchant had set a price on the man's head, and that was all she needed to know. She captured him, it was easy target. She wasn’t interested in doing justice for the robbery, she needed the reward and so she turned the thief over to the authorities. What they did with him wasn’t her business and the gold coins allowed her to enjoy well deserved three months of rest.

Because that was what Elsa did, she was a bounty hunter, and a very skilled one. She lived in peace with the world, if the world had peace with her.

She believed herself to be a simple girl; barely past twenty-four years old, she knew she was the proud owner of a difficult character.

When leaving the Enchanted forest she lowered the hood of her cloak to receive the sun fully on her face, in the thickets of the forest the sunlight was very difficult to find.

Her eyes were the color of a winter morning sky, clear and cold blue, and a small upturned nose that gave her that air of a proud warrior, but her beauty was overshadowed by a gloomy shadow that accompanied her. Someone who knew her well would know that it was because of her past, that story that weighed so heavily on her and that she had not yet managed to get rid of entirely. But no one knew her well, the only person who had, left five years ago. Old age had took the only being she could call family, now she was alone. Although she no longer cared, she knew how to fend for herself and even the most trained of the kingdom's knights should fear her.

A light breeze came to her from the town’s direction, which could be seen in the distance, stirred her blond bangs out of her face. The air brought her the smells of the farmhouses nearby and unleashed memories in her mind that she tried to suppress without much success. She remembered that winter morning that she found herself alone in the main square of a remote town, she was a child, around five years old. It was the first memory she had, nothing before that was clear in her memory.

The villagers didn’t notice when Elsa entered the main square. Merchants and peasants offered their products to the people who circulated there, mothers with their child haggled over the prices of vegetables and other products, children ran between the little ports at the risk of knocking down some, dozens of voices rose above the morning mist that was already beginning to dissipate.

Elsa continued walking, she wasn’t interested in those things, she never stopped to look at the people who passed through the stalls. Her visit to the village was aimed at finding her next prey, some unfortunate man who had made a mistake for which the authorities of a where-ever village had put a price on his head. She would capture him, hand him over, and hopefully get enough coins to spend a good period in her forest, where tranquility was its only ruler.

As she walked the streets of the town, Elsa listened carefully to the whispers and rumors spreading in corners and alleys. They were her main source of information. Three months ago, in a corner far from the main streets, she had heard how two men, elderly villagers, commented with a certain indifference on what had happened to the thief who dared to steal from one of the most important lords in the region. She only had to search in a couple of neighboring towns to find that man, he was hidden in a hut on the hills bordering the north end of the Namsen River, and Elsa had to use only a few blows to his jaw convince him to surrender.

She kept walking. Near the town chapel, a group of young people, who could hardly be described as teenagers, were gathered under a leafy tree. The sun was already completely illuminating the village and filling the small houses that surrounded the main square with life. Some children scampered at the end of the street and their voices filled the morning breeze with the youthful hubbub emanating from their laughter. But the breeze brought more to Elsa's ears than the laughter of the children. The word _reward_ was clearly picked up by the girl amid the other sounds of the village. It came from the base of the tree that Elsa had passed moments before, that group of young people had pronounced it making her turn to listen better.

She pretended to be interested in the fabrics offered by a plump lady at one of the street stalls; unthinkable for her on a normal day, staying close enough to get some more information.

"It's all a lie" said the smallest one, his very blue eyes sparkling with mischief. "I don't think they have kidnapped the queen, the king's army is very powerful, who would dare to face it?"

"Anyone who knew when to do it" answered another of the boys, he was leaning against the trunk of the tree and with his eyes closed he was analyzing the situation "They say it happened during the queen's evening ride, about twenty men surprised them when they reached the river bordering the Narös Mountains and they took her away"

"Twenty men?" asked a third who was lying on a bed of herbs under the tree "We can fight them, if the reward is what they claim, I would kill them myself"

Her defiant attitude angered Elsa. This young man had a build that would not scare a six-year-old girl, yet he was willing to face twenty men for an apparently outrageous amount of gold.

_They have no idea what it's like to kill someone for gold, Elsa thought to herself._

"Do you like it, dear?" the owner of the little stall noticed how the girl was staring at the cutout. "It is of good quality. You would make a very nice dress"

"Dress?" Elsa asked. The post owner's comment took her by surprise. She didn’t wear dresses under any circumstances, they were totally uncomfortable, but the lady in front of her radiated so much kindness that she was forced to answer back with an gentleness unusual in her. "Maybe another time"

She smiled at woman, she liked her.

Slowly, almost absentmindedly, Elsa approached the boys who were still talking.

"Where do you think they took her?" one of them asked.

"The elders said something about Romsdalen" replied the youngest. "But that is very far"

"It is not only very far. It is near Skjærsilden , I wouldn’t risk going near there" stressed the young man who was leaning against the tree. "That kingdom is too... I don't know... wild."

"It's true, they say they train very powerful warriors there" said the little boy.

Elsa smiled as she walked away, she had taken care of a couple of those powerful warriors, they weren’t that scary. The only useful thing she got from that conversation was the certainty that she needed more information about it.

With a hasty step, she went to the place where the town authorities met and her questions were answered without even asking. One of the elders was hammering a parchment on the village news borad, the paper confirming everything Elsa had heard. The queen had been captured and the king offered fifty thousand gold coins to whoever returned her to the castle safely.

Elsa knew it would not be an easy task, but she lost nothing in trying. If she succeeded, she could live without complications in her forest for a long time. If she didn't… She shrugged, she really had nothing to lose. Elsa looked once more at the parchment and thought of her next destination, the Romsdalen forest.

The main plaza dwarfed behind her as she mentally made preparations for the journey on her way back to the forest.

This time, the journey would be longer than usual, she would have to cross the Great Sea to reach the forest, not to mention that she must first reach Gørban, the fishing village from where she would have to set sail. _I’ll need a boat. Hell_, she thought, _How am I going to get a boat, or something that floats strong enough to cross the sea?_

She would worry about it later, she could always try to stowaway in a fishing boat. Now, the first thing she had to do was gather her things, and find the map that Kai had left her.

* * *

The queen Silje woke up from a very heavy sleep. She didn’t remember anything that had happened before, she didn’t even know how long she had been asleep.

Her vision slowly cleared. When the queen recognized where she was, everything painfully came back to her memory. She recalled that the riders who had intercepted her court managed to surround her when she had reached the Vanaheim Valley. Then… darkness.

She scrambled to her feet, feeling a throbbing pain in the back of her head.

“Are you alright, my dear queen?" A honeyed voice came from the top of a gigantic staircase that rose beyond where the aching Silje could see. A hooded figure began to descend.

Silje looked around. She was in a dark place, just a couple of torches lighting the staircase in front of her and the spot where she was immobilized, chained to a solid rock wall. It seemed to be underground since no window filtered outside light.

"I asked you if you were alright" said the hooded figure, who continued to descend slowly, his voice losing some of its initial charm.

"Who wants to know?" Silje replied. It wasn’t the first time that she had faced dangerous men, she knew how to behave around people like this.

"A humble servant, my queen. You are very important to us. I deeply regret that my warriors have not been very... kind, their training doesn’t allow them good manners"

"I don’t consider it good manners to have a queen chained against a wall, either" Silje replied trying not to sound intimidated. The hooded figure approached, chuckling, but still in the shadows.

"I am glad that you still have your sense of humor, your majesty. Know that you are not in danger here, our goal is not to harm you. We have more important objectives"

"Conquering my kingdom" the queen didn’t use a necessarily questioning tone. "My husband will not bestow the kingdom on you so easily, he will have his army knocking on you doors any moment now."

"He won't do such a thing... if he wants to see you alive again" the man said, then added "Or your son."

Silje was speechless. How did he know? she was in an early stage of her pregnancy and very few people inside the castle, people very close to the crown, knew about it.

"Yes, my dear queen, I know about the child you are bearing. Don't be surprised. It is a child destined for great things."

"What do you mean?" Silje asked, although she knew what he was talking about. The sorceress they had consulted told them they were expecting a child. Furthermore, she had told them that she saw great deeds on the way of the heir to the Vanaheim throne, that he would have a great destiny.

"I'll tell you if you really want to know" the figure walked over to one of the torches and took off the hood of the black robe he was wearing. His face glowed in the light of the fire that danced in front of him. Silje stifled a cry of fright. His face had a visible scar that furrowed his face from the left eyebrow to the lower right edge of his mouth. His eyes possessed an ethereal glow of evil that even the most seasoned of her knights feared.

"Hans Sørlig!" exclaimed the queen. "I never believed you capable, I demand that you tell me the truth, what do you want from me?"

"Don't panic, Your Majesty. Your son will be the one to help me get what I want."

"Do you want to incorporate the kingdom of Vanaheim into your lands?" Silje asked afraid of the answer, her courage disappearing by the minute, the evilness of the being in front of her had undermined her. "We can make an agreement, you release us and Eirik will give you the domains you want."

Hans laughed again.

He circled the queen with slow but determined steps. He was trying to intimidate her. She now couldn’t look up, refusing his gaze.

"I doubt my old friend Eirik cares more about you than his kingdom. Besides, my dear queen," he whispered in her ear, "I don't want some stupid piece of land. I want everything."

* * *

The way back home took less than she thought. The returns always seem shorter, Elsa thought, while she dodged the last bend tree and saw her house.

She had spent the whole way pondering what she was going to do next. Rescuing a queen was not an easy job. Whoever kidnapped her must have powerful reasons to do it, and a good army to back it up. It wasn't like catching a coin thief.

But Elsa wasn’t interested in confronting that army, She would find the queen, rescue her, and return her to the king before the supposed captor realized it. _I just needed to come up with a good plan_.

For now, her goal was to get to the Romsdalen valley and see what clues she picked up along the way.

Elsae packed her things deciding she didn't need much luggage, she would hunt for food on the way. Putting Kai's old map in a pouch in her belt, she then took her bow and arrows, hoping she didn't need them. The young woman looked again at the humble hut that she had shared for so many years with Kai, having the strange feeling that she would never see it again, but shaking the thought out of her head quickly. She was heading for the door, when something caught her attention.

The shine of a sword caught her gaze.

It was the only thing she had from when she was little, her parents had left it to her, or at least she thought so. It was lighter than any weapon she had ever held, and its hilt was gilded in gold and silver, with a small ruby gleaming in the center, enhanced by the light streaming through a crack in the window. She never uses it, it brought back bad memories, or the lack of them, and that made her feel insecure. Elsa hated that feeling but packed it anyway. She didn't know what for, but she felt the need to have it close and the inexplicable certainty that she would use her. It was a feeling that was always with her, even in the times she had tried to sell it.

* * *

The afternoon was progressing when Elsa decided to interrupt her journey. The sun was beginning to hide among the treetops and the night was starting to take its place. She had taken the opposite direction to that which she had followed that morning, when she went to the village in search of her new prey. In this part, the Enchanted forest, became thicker and darker.

She didn't worry too much about dinner, some fruits collected along the way were enough. She was a hunter, but not a carnivorous one. She took care of igniting a good fire, that would keep vermin and other oddities away from her camp.

When the sky was full of stars, Elsa leaned back. She would have to resume her way in the early hours of dawn so it would be good to rest.

A short time had passed when Elsa woke with a start. The reason was the rustling of dry leaves nearby, but the fire pushed the shadows and made them thicker around it, she couldn't see anything beyond the flames. Elsa heard the noise again, this time she heard movements too. They were many.

"Take it easy, girl" A man's voice was heard from the blackness of the night and little by little he was revealed in the light of the fire. "Don't try anything stupid, we'll just take your things and... well, we'll have fun for a while."

Elsa smiled, they didn’t know who they were messing with.

Ten other men emerged into the clearing where the young woman had set camp. Bandits, surely, Elsa speculated as she slowly approached her sword, she definitely didn’t expect to use it so soon, but the situation didn’t warrant the bow and arrows.

"Suppose I let you take my things" Elsa said "Do you promise not to hurt me?"

She could play damsel in distress very well, even if she didn't like it on bit. She was slender and with an angelic face. No one would believe she was a bounty hunter.

"You'll still be alive when we leave, if that's what you’re asking" replied the thief.

"That's not enough" Elsa said and quickly unsheathed the sword.

The girl was too nimble for eleven big, heavy men. At first they laughed at her, but then they started falling.

Elsa went directly against the one who had spoken to her. She assumed he would be their boss so she got rid of him first, the others wouldn't know what to do. Her movements were so fast that the bandit had no time to react, until he was pierced from side to side by a sword. The rest of the men, between surprised and enraged, launched themselves in unison against her.

The first to reach her suffered a painful cut on his right arm, which left him out of action. Elsa turned around and the thief approaching from her right could only see the reflection of the fire in the blade, then a large wound ripped through his belly. Elsa struck a couple of blows at two men who had been stunned by the woman's rudeness, knocking them out of her way. The rest was easy, they had fled.

Elsa saw there were no more thieves around her, only the moan of the last badly wounded man left, the night had recovered its stillness.

But they had managed to hurt her. In the tumult of blows, one of them had managed to make her feel the rigor of his knife and now she started to bleed profusely from her side. The small blade had managed to sneak between the girl's lower ribs, next to the arm.

"Got damn!" Elsa cursed "This insignificant wound won’t stop me!"

The truth was that while Elsa was a good warrior, her main strategy was to hunt her prey with stealth and patience. She was not a madwoman who closed her eyes and faced anyone without measuring the consequences, she preferred not to be hurt unnecessarily. She owed it to Kai to try to preserve her life after all he had done for her.

She tried to stop the blood with a simple bandage and lay down again, the thieves would not return and she would have a few hours to recover. Besides, she healed very quickly and wasn’t afraid of a little pain.

The exhaustion of the fight dominated her and a heavy dream closed her eyes.


	2. The Blacksmith

The crackling of the fire was the first sound that reached her ears that morning. In the distance she could hear the sound of someone using a forge. She felt herself covered by a thick and heavy blanket that left her with little freedom of movement. The cadence of the hammer hitting incandescent steel made her sink in state of drowsiness from which it was difficult to get out.

Elsa slowly opened her eyes and found herself inside the warmth of a small hut. The smell of bread in the oven tickled her nose. In the distance, the noise had stopped. Carefully she tried to sit down, she knew that the Enchanted Forest was inhabited mostly by good people, sensing there was no danger in that place. She propped herself up on her elbows to get up but a sudden sharp pain in her right side prevented her from continuing. Elsa stifled a pained groan and closed her eyes.

"You shouldn't try to get up, you're still very weak" a deep male voice was heard from the entrance of the house.

Elsa obeyed. She didn't know this man, but something in his voice spoke to her of a gentle man.

"Who are you? Why did you help me?"

"I try not to abandon somebody who needs my help" said the man as he entered the house and placed a huge pile of firewood next to the oven. "Besides, I think it was very brave of you the way you dealt with those thieves. They'd terrorize this lands for months"

"I didn't have many options” said Elsa, who wasn't used to receiving compliments.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"You don't need to know." he answered with a smile.

"I want to know who to thank”

"Don't thank me yet. I could stop the bleeding but I will have to burn the wound if you really want to heal properly”

Elsa saw him approach the fire and extract a red-hot iron. When the man turned, his penetrating blue eyes floored her, she had never seen someone with a gaze as expressive and reassuring as that.

After discovering the upper part of her body covered the blanket, she lifted the sheet wrapped around her torso. Being exposed and almost naked in front of a total stranger was an unusual experience for her.

Seeing the good disposition and confidence that the girl had with him, the man told her his name.

"My name is Merik, I am a blacksmith" he said as he approached with the hot iron "This will hurt a lot but it will prevent the infection"

"I'm not afraid of pain... Merik" Elsa affirmed, but she looked away quickly.

Merik smiled. She was a very tough girl, but he suspected that she was more afraid of this strange situation than of the hot iron.

"Well... there it goes"

The intense pain in the side of her body was nothing compared to the smell of her own flesh being burned by the hot metal. She felt nauseous but stubbornly said nothing.

"Done" Merik whispered in her ear "you can open your eyes now. You're very tough, you know?"

"I know" she said, covering herself quickly "I always have been”

"And quite proud, it seems" added Merik with a huge smile. "Can you tell your name, miss?"

"My... my name is Elsa" the girl replied as she got up weakly, sitting down still clinging to the warm blanket.

Merik froze for a few seconds before returning the iron to the fire, watching intensely the row of freshly forged swords were displayed next to the furnace.

"Nice to meet you, Elsa" he said as he sat next to her on the small bed "Now tell me. What were you doing alone in this immense forest? Everyone knows that after winter there are often many bandits around here"

"That is none of your business" replied the young woman, moving slightly to the side, "Where are my things? I must continue on my way."

"In life you have to be friendly with who helps you in difficult times" Merik said "Your things are there" and pointed to a corner. He got up and went to the oven from where a delicious aroma was coming “Maybe after lunch you will feel ready to tell me?"

Elsa didn't say a word. That man's kindness had silenced her. Normally she would have made a scathing comment and would have just left the place, but she felt very comfortable there.

For a long time she looked around the hut as Merik made the preparations for lunch, sitting in the bed, motionless.

It was a very small and humble house that was far from the stately air of its owner, who had a stiff and haughty walk. He was a man of great bearing for such a small home. The hut had the bare minimum, everything it contained was visible from the front door. There were a large number of tools scattered on the floor and parts of armor that rested in heaps here and there. The bed where Elsa was sitting was in the farthest corner, next to the kitchen was the meager table where Merik prepared lunch, and beyond, almost hidden and different from all the others, a gleaming armor lay forgotten. The breast plate of the armor was beautifully carved with golden motifs, but what stood out the most were two lions facing each other with a symbol in the middle.

"Just old junk" Merik said catching Elsa's gaze lost in the armor.

Startled, she deliberately looked away.

"Sorry" she apologized, feeling that she had invaded Merik's privacy "It caught my attention, it's very beautiful. Did you forge it?" But another question assailed her thoughts and she couldn't stop it before it escaped her lips.

"Aren't those lions and the symbol in between the coat of arms of the kingdom of Vanaheim?

"Yes" Merik said quietly as he placed the loaf of bread he had just removed from the oven. "To both questions"

"That means..." Elsa started.

"That means I'm a knight... retired" he turned and smiling offered her a hand to help her stand up "Come on, Elsa, you have to eat something."

The young woman reached out and Merik helped her to her feet and reach the table. There was something about him, Elsa felt she needed to know him better, something that made her stay.

The meal passed in absolute silence. Elsa kept her gaze fixed on her plate while Merik scrutinized her intently, his blue eyes scanning her as if he wanted to read her from beginning to end.

When they had finished eating, Merik tried to resume the conversation.

"You look much better now that you've eaten."

She looked up and found those questioning eyes watching her kindly. She kept her gaze on him.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Can't I? You're a very beautiful girl and..."

"Please, stop. We both know that's not the reason" Elsa cut him with a frown "You don't have to be condescending with me. As soon as I recover my strength I’ll leave" she got up and went to get her bag "I don't have much money to pay you for the inconvenience but..." she drew her sword with which she had reduced the thieves and tried to give it to him "I think this will suffice."

Merik changed his expression almost immediately. His formerly kind eyes suddenly darkened. His grim gaze quickly passed from the sword to Elsa.

"Where did you get that sword?" he asked sullenly.

"It doesn't matter" she answered surprised by the change of attitude of the knight "If you sell it you will be able to get a good amount of gold."

Merik sat up and took the sword. He examined it carefully and then returned it to the young woman.

"Keep it. If I helped you wasn't to get something in return"

"As you wish" Elsa said and sheathed the sword again while Merik went to the oven and threw a couple of branches to the fire underneath it.

They spent the rest of the time in silence.

Later that day, when Elsa started to sort her things to leave, Merik spoke again.

"Now will you tell me what you were doing in the forest?"

Elsa turned around and again found him looking at her.

"I'm on my way to Romsdalen" the young woman couldn't help but tell him the truth.

"It is a very dangerous place for a girl"

"I am not a girl," she replied, trying to remain calm. "I am a bounty hunter and I am going for the queen."

"Yourself alone?" Merik asked calmly.

"I can do it alone" Elsa replied. She gathered up her things and headed for the door. She felt a slight discomfort in the wound when she had already taken several steps away from the hut that made her stop and shift the weight of her bag to her other shoulder.

When she was going back to her path, she heard him calling her.

Elsa turned and saw him approach.

"Let me go with you" he said simply.

"I do these things alone" the young woman replied and turned to continue, but she felt a heavy and warm hand that stopped her again.

"Take it as payment for helping you" Merik said. "I help you with the queen's rescue and you take this old knight out of retirement"

Elsa thought about it for a moment. Some help would be good for her, and deep in her heart she wanted to help this man.

"Okay" she said "But you will be under my orders"

Merik smiled widely. _What a temper this girl has_, he thought, scratching his blond beard.

"Thank you very much, Miss Elsa" he said with a huge and pompous bow. "Let me get my things and we'll set off"

It didn't take him long to sort his luggage, after all, he had very little to pack. The smoke stopped coming out of the chimney of the hut and all the half-finished weapons and armor were stored inside.

Thus, clad in his elegant armor and covered with a huge cape, the knight joined the rescue party.

They knew that they could make very little progress that day, but the walk seemed very long.

Elsa, accustomed to doing things without company, had adopted a retired knight from the kingdom of Vanaheim. She curled her mouth in a grimace wanting to hide a smile because of the irony of the situation.

Merik had shown himself to be a kind man, but since they set out on their journey he had not uttered a word. Occasionally, Elsa had caught him glancing at her, as if he wanted to know something about her that he didn't dare ask.

The night loomed over them as they reached the foot of the Breksa mountain range, the last stumbling block before reaching the village of Gørban, from where they would have to set sail. They would have to skirt it along the shoreline to get there.

"I'll get some firewood," he said as he stared south with a blank expression.

"Do you miss Vanaheim?" Elsa asked bluntly "It's in that direction, right?"

Merik smiled.

"There are some things destined to be missed after a long time" he replied with a dreamy air "What will you do now?"

"I'll hunt, we need something to eat" she said, getting up with bow and arrows in her hands.

"Shouldn't I be doing that?" asked the knight wielding his long heavy sword in front of him.

"I can do it" the girl grumbled "Besides, you offered to make the fire, you can cook whatever I bring if you want" and added with a tone of indifference as she left "I have never been a good cook."

It wasn't long before she returned with a pair of hares hanging from her shoulders.

"Effective huntress" he acknowledged with, amused "And the man in shining armor and mighty sword, waiting to cook."

The whole concept seemed funny to him and he shared his good humor with the young woman who unloaded her loot near the fire.

"You are a weird man. You know that, right?" she stated as she rummaged through her small leather bag "Other men would be angry in the same situation"

"You haven't met good men, then," Merik replied, watching her curiously.

"Maybe not" she replied absentmindedly as she stood up again.

"What are you doing?" he asked "If you can tell me, of course" he clarified after receiving the young woman's hard stare.

"I saw a stream on the way here. If you don't mind, retired knight, I'm going to take a well-deserved bath."

Merik smiled again, as she walked away. That girl had amazed him in more ways than one, from the moment she saw her fighting with the thieves to when she looked at him for the first time with those eyes of the deepest blue. It was inexplicable what he felt when he saw her leave her house, the urgent need to accompany her, to protect her. And it seemed that his presence lowered the girl's defenses a bit too. She didn't smile often but her face lit up when she did. Also, he had to find out how she had gotten that sword.

There were many reasons, inexplicable or not, that linked his future to hers.

After a while, Merik heard the creaking of dry twigs in the direction of the stream Elsa had pointed out, but as a precaution he put his hand on the sword he kept at his side at all times.

"I come in peace" Elsa's voice was heard approaching the firelight "But it's good that you are cautious."

The girl's face had regained the stoic appearance of the beginning. Merik perceived it but didn't matter, he wanted to keep her smiling for the rest of the trip, which should be short. When he found out who she was, he would force her to return with him to Vanaheim to return the sword to its true owner. He was sure the king was already taking care of the queen's rescue, he wouldn't need their help.

"Dinner is ready, miss" he said with another deep bow, pointing to the hares spread over the fire. "And I've made your bed for you" he pointed to a pile of blankets, neatly arranged next to the fire that crackled happily.

"That wasn't necessary" Elsa said simply, without looking at him "I can do it by myself"

"I know, I know. I just wanted to be polite" he replied handing her a small pewter plate with the food.

"Thank you" said the young woman, after a few moments.

"Ah, I see you have not forgotten the manners" observed the knight, who had already stripped off his armor.

Elsa didn't answer.

"Tell me about yourself" Merik insisted.

She looked up into his dark blue eyes.

She had never had anyone to tell her life to, not because she didn't want to, but because no one had asked her. She was like a ghost, after all, appearing when there was a reward and disappeared for long periods in her forest. In some towns people said that her very existence was only a myth.

"What you want to know?" she asked.

"Where were you born?"

"I don't know" she replied with a shrug

"We started well" commented Merik laconically.

"Look" started the girl staring into the flames "There is not much to know about me. I don't remember anything from when I was a child. I think I suffered a blow in the head or something like that. I don't know who my parents are, they just abandoned me. I was found by an old man who happened to pass by. When he saw that I was alone, he took me with him... he passed away five years ago"

She paused, then continued as if she had hid all those words away in her chest a long time ago.

"From that moment I survive hunting thieves and assassins whose heads are worth some gold. My life is boring and lonely. And I like it that way" she ended, without giving rise to further questions. She said it all fast, her eyes still fixed on the burning fire in front of them, as if she was remembering what she was saying or tried to remember the part of her life that was blank.

Merik didn't ask anything else, it was evident that the girl's life had been hard and that the memories hurt enough to shut them up and hide them deep inside her. But there was something in all this that didn't quite convince him. He had a particular empathy with the girl and an untamed curiosity to know if this young woman was who he thought. But it couldn't be. Even if they were about the same age, the girl he was referring to had died many years ago. There was no way she would have survived.

He tried to shake all hope from his thoughts with a quick shake of his head, and looked at Elsa again.

The more he thought about it, the less she looked like a thief. Her hair was so light it almost looked like snow, although many northern girls had hair like that; but what intrigued him most was the reason why that special sword was in her possession.

Elsa leaned back on the blankets he had arranged for her and closed her eyes, her right arm resting on the bow and arrowhead.

Merik followed suit but didn't close his eyes, he had many thoughts running free through his mind. When he managed to fall asleep, the nightmares that had always haunted him since that night attacked him again.

It was very early, the next day, when the sounds of a forest full of life woke Elsa.

She stood up and scanned the surroundings, Merik wasn't there. His things were packed next to the ashes of the fire but there was no sign of the knight.

She packed her things in the leather bag she carried and took Merik's bags as well. Quietly she made her way to the stream she had visited the night before.

"I think this is the first time that I have a defenseless knight in front of me, without the need to wield my sword" Elsa said, sitting on a huge rock that was on the creek's edge. He turned quickly.

"That's not fair" he protested, feigning anger. "I didn't sneak around when you were naked"

"You just didn’t thought about it" said the young woman, amused. “Anyway, I brought you your things, so we can get going without delay.

"Thank you very much, milady. But would you mind... I mean, I value my privacy."

Elsa smiled, she was having a lot of fun with the situation.

"I cannot believe that such a noble and educated knight succumbs to a feeling as mundane as embarrassment" said the young woman with great solemnity.

"Well... I must confess, I do succumb to such a feeling" he agreed visibly embarrassed "I'm not used to a little girl seeing me... when I'm not decent."

"I'm not a little girl" Elsa reproached, without losing her smile "Okay, I'll go. But let it be clear that nothing you have there can scare me" and she descended nimbly from the rock, deposited his bags on the shore and with a last smirk said:

"I'll wait for you at camp. Hurry up, okay?"

"Yes, yes" he replied as he tried to get to his clothes without exposing his butt too much.

They had spent much of the morning bordering the Breksa Mountains, they had decided to go along the shore of the Great Sea instead of going directly through the mountains, this route, although safer, would take twice as long.

To be polite, Merik had offered to carry Elsa's belongings, but Elsa had flatly refused.

"I can carry it, I'm not weaker than you" she said sullenly.

He didn’t answer back, opting for nodding slightly as they continued on their way.

The spring sun rose above their heads when they decided to stop for lunch. They found logs lying on the sand and there they set up their temporary camp.

"Let me take care of the food this time, okay?" he said making Elsa sit on one of the logs.

"Okay" she replied, annoyed "I was planning to let you help me anyway"

He smiled at her and began to remove his armor. It seemed an almost ceremonial process. The knight took very carefully each part of the heavy armor and gently placed it on the sand. The respect that the knight still had for those garments, and all that it represented in his mind, was admirable. Then he headed out to sea with a weapon that looked like a short spear.

Elsa watching him closely. The silhouette of the knight stood out in the distance, his weapon high above his head and water up to his waist. His immobile posture was impressive under the powerful rays of the sun that bathed the coast and turned the salty water of the Great Sea, at those moments in full calm, into a mirror that approached and moved away, as if moved by the will of the gods of the deep.

She was absorbed by the landscape. It had been a long time since she had visited the sea. She remembered when Kai took her the last time, before she got sick. It had been one of the happiest days of her life, so carefree. She enjoyed her old friend's company very much, almost as much as she did with Merik’s. Elsa didn't want to get too attached to him, everything she loved was taken from her by fate and she didn't want to suffer anymore. At her young age, her heart carried more sorrows than most people, and she was sure that constant tightness in her chest would get worse if she didn’t stay away from the world.

The young woman was so lost in thought that she didn't notice when Merik left two huge fish next to a pile of logs on the beach. The man said nothing to her, he didn’t want to disturb her, but curiosity invaded him, wondering what she was thinking.

Without making too much noise, he lit the fire and began to cook the fish, along with some mushrooms that he had collected on the way in a pewter saucepan that he kept with his belongings.

"Why are you alone? You don't have a family?" she asked suddenly. Merik looked up quickly, surprised by the question.

"You don't talk much, but when you do… he murmured.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to" said the girl and looked back at the sea "I just thought that… well, you seem like a good man…"

"Why do you ask? Do you want to marry me?" he asked, amused.

Elsa smiled too, but without taking her eyes off the horizon. A light breeze rose in the direction of the coast and with it brought the aroma of salt and seaweed that Elsa remembered.

"I have no wedding plans" she said and then sighed deeply and slowly, with her eyes wide open as if she wanted to treasure that landscape in her memory forever.

"The male population of the entire kingdom is in mourning, then" Merik said.

"Surely," she replied casually.

"It is the truth, I already told you that you are a very beautiful woman" he stated, trying not to make the mistake of calling her a girl again. "You would have very beautiful children"

"Children?" the comment caught the attention of the young woman who seemed to fall out of her her reveries into reality with a single word.

"I am a warrior!" she proudly exclaimed "I don’t think children are in my path"

"Fair enough" Merik said, acknowledging when he was defeated and worried that he had awakened Elsa’s fighting spirit, she was looking at him through the flames of the fire in an intimidating way. "I didn't mean to say that in a negative way, Please, forgive me”

"You’re forgiven" Elsa replied relaxing a bit.

After a few moments of silence, when they were both having lunch, Merik decided to break the monotony of the moment with a confession.

"My work didn’t allow me to have a wife" he said briefly, his gaze lost in the vastness of the sea to his left that seemed to capture the attention of both of them.

"Your work? Does the king not let his knights marry?" Elsa asked.

"Let's say my job required almost complete dedication on my part, I didn't have time to find a wife. And then…”

"Then…" Elsa encouraged him to keep talking, she wanted to know more about him.

"Then the king relieved me of my post and banished me from the city. I can never return to the castle again."

"What did you do?"

"The people under my care were hurt" he said. Her low voice and unfocused eyes tinted with deep sadness.

He blinked to shake off the bad memories, then smiled broadly at the girl in front of him.

"What do you think of the fish?" he said, flatly changing the subject "It's a recipe from my mother"

Elsa's mind vibrated with curiosity but she preferred not to ask any more.

"It’s very good" she replied as she took another bite.

In the afternoon they started walking again, they still had a lot of beach to cover. They walked in silence, enjoying the view. The sea, covering more sand with each wave, darkened as the sun went down behind the mountains that rose in the distance. Its highest peaks were hidden in the cloud banks that surrounded them.

"We should spend the night here, don't you think?" she told Merik who was scrutinizing the sea carefully.

"You're right. But we must find a cave that is as high as possible, the tide will rise tonight."

At the end of a great curve in the beach they found a shallow cave on a ledge, they left their things there and prepared for the nigh, that place was safe from the sea. The walk on the sand seemed to have exhausted them.

The sunset had given rise to a cluster of stars that covered the sky, the moon shone brightly and bathed the coast with its light. They were lying by the fire when a scream startled them.

They peered out of the cavern entrance and scanned the beach, the moonlight allowing them to have a clear view of what was happening. A group of people could be seen in the distance. A woman's scream was heard again.

Instinctively, Merik took his sword and jumped on the rocks in a frantic descent. He ran at full speed through the strip of sand left by the tide. The scene brightened before his eyes as he got closer.

Four men, clad in leather armor, surrounded a woman at the end of the beach.

They displayed their swords over their heads, menacing, laughing hysterically.

"You will see, witch, you will pay for what you did" one of them shouted and launched himself towards the female figure.

Merik almost shouted "Stop!" at the top of his lungs to stop the attacker but what he saw next took the words out of his throat.

"I told you not to mess with me" the woman's trembling voice rose between the laughter of the men "You should have left alone"

Before being hit by the first assailant, the woman clasped her hands in front of her chest. An orb of blue light formed between his hands.

"Ahh!" She screamed as the ball of light crashed into the chest of one of the men who fell like a rock, inert.

The other three warriors rushed to attack her, Merik didn’t think she would be able to do, whatever was what she did, against three at the same time and decided to intervene in the fight attacking the one closest to him.

His noble knight principles didn’t allow him to kill him from behind, so he only hit his legs, the man lost his balance and fell heavily. When the other two became aware of Merik's presence, they diverted their attention from the strange woman and pounced on him. He barely dodged the edge of one of their swords and used the force of his blow against him. After a skillful movement of his own sword, the man was lying on the sand, which was beginning to stain with spilled blood. The remaining aggressor, surprised at the casualties of his companions, was motionless, leaving the path free for Merik to hit him hard on the head with the hilt of the sword. The body fell to its knees first, refusing to finally collapse, but the blow was too much for him and he succumbed to the sand.

He was about to ask the woman if she was alright when a howl of fury was heard behind him. The first man who he had attacked, the one he had spare, had stood up and with his sword in the air swung quickly in his direction.

Before the sword completed its travel, a high-pitched whistle cut through the air and an arrow embedded in the attacker's back. The sword lost its grip out of the rough hand that held it and dug into the sand. Then the man collapsed next to it.

Merik search frantically for the source of that arrow, at a considerable distance, on top of a rock formation, Elsa was still holding her bow in the direction of the victim she had just collected. Her stiff arms began to drop slowly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Patience... we're getting there ;)


	3. Shadows in the Castle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A warrior princess finally appears

The king paced back and forth, Eylack was late. He had removed the crown from his head and now it rested, forgotten, on the throne that Silje used to occupy.

The royal hall was in darkness, it was very rare to see it like that. Where once the decorations and shields shone alongside the countless suit of armor, like eternal knights in each room of the Vanaheim Castle, now only shadows danced among the undaunted columns. The room echoed, hollow and empty. The flames from the torches adorning the walls of the large main hall favored the gloomy atmosphere that Eirik had endeavored to maintain. The tall windows were blinded by heavy curtains of the dark, night-like fabric. Only the king's footsteps were audible through the echoes that ran through the castle from front to back.

The entire kingdom mourned the absence of its beloved queen. In every street, in every house and in every corner, cries of revenge were heard, uttered by sorrowful villagers, against whomever had dared to take Queen Silje.

But Eirik couldn’t worry about such trifles.

On the verge of losing patience, the heavy double door to the main hall opened. A hunched, rackety-looking man entered slowly. His dark robe was full of shiny black stains, his gawky slow gait made the king nervous.

"Do you have any news for me?" he asked urgently, as he cautiously approached the newly arrived individual.

"According to my informants, the queen is in perfect condition" said a thick voice that dragged the syllables with ease. The kingdom situation didn't seem to bother him at all.

"Good… good" Eirik said rubbing his hands nervously "My knights are about to leave, they will bring her safely. No one will suspect a thing"

"You shouldn't be nervous, my dear king" Eylack advised him, his eyes were hidden under the shadow of the hood of his cloak "Hans will not harm the queen if you keep your word"

"I will fulfill what was promised" Eirik replied angrily "If he does his part as well"

The king continued to walk back and forth in the hall, passing in front of the thrones that he had held until recently with his wife, he was visibly concerned about the situation.

"I will give him the northern lands" he continued as he sat back in his royal throne "Those are not useful to me anyway. The people who live there are savages"

Eylack remained silent as the king spoke, observing every detail of the Vanaheim regent. The greed and cruelty of that man were only surpassed by his stupidity. He cracked a sly smile that Eirik didn’t noticed.

"My lord" Eylack began after a few moments. "Is the plan being carried out as directed?"

"Don't worry, it's on its way" she replied without looking at him. His sight was lost in the ancient armors posted throughout the vast hall. "How did you know the girl was alive?" he asked suddenly.

"You know my abilities, my lord. My powers go beyond what you can imagine" Eylack turned and headed for the door. "You were lucky to meet me"

"I know" Eirik murmured unconvinced, as he watched the old warlock reach the front door "Wait” Eylack stopped his steps but did not turn around.

"Send a messenger to Skjærsilden . Remind Hans that I want her dead, once and for all"

The hooded man nodded in the distance and left the royal hall.

* * *

Firelight cut the silhouettes of three people against the cave walls. Elsa looked attentively at the figure of the woman in front of her. She didn't look like any person she had ever met before.

The woman wore a blue veiled robe, long enough to reach the floor. She had long, wide sleeves that opened before reaching her hands, causing huge scraps of fabric to hang from her arms. The robe was completely embroidered with very fine gold threads, the motifs were even stranger. They didn't look like any language Elsa knew, it didn’t look like drawings or decorations either, but she still thought she had seen them somewhere. The woman wasn’t much taller than she was, but she was older. At least ten years older. Her hair was messy and unkempt, full of leaves and twigs that she obviously hadn't taken the trouble to remove. The golden curls framed a slim face with long lashes, a very thin nose and lips, with green eyes so light that looked almost transparent.

The woman had not spoken a word since Merik offered her food and shelter for the night in the cave where they were sheltering until twilight. In fact, all she'd heard her say were those words in the beach before the blue ball of light hit the man who attacked first.

Merik watched the fire calmly, the woman placed the pewter plate on the floor. The fish the knight had offered her for dinner had quickly disappeared.

"Now that you've eaten" Elsa asked intrigued "Can you tell us who you are?"

She tried to be as kind as possible, but it still sounded harsh. Merik scolded her with his eyes. She tried to excuse herself with a somewhat awkward shoulder shrug, it had been a long time since she had been reprimanded like a little girl.

"My name is Agnes" the woman answered calmly, looking at the young woman in front of her "From the village of Gyfu"

"That explains a lot of things" Merik intervened. Seeing Elsa silently questioning him, he continued, "It is said that in Gyfu, the inhabitants practice magic from a young age. They are known for it"

Agnes nodded.

"Magic?" Elsa asked. "So… what you did a while ago on the beach was…"

"Yes, magic" Agnes replied.

Silence reigned in the cave again. The woman was staring at Elsa.

The young woman didn’t believe in magic but couldn’t deny what she had seen.

"You don’t believe me, right?" asked the woman's ethereal voice, her face was expressionless.

It took Elsa a few moments to reply. She was trying to read Agnes's eyes, know what she was thinking but to no avail.

"It is the first time that I see someone doing magic" Elsa answered with total sincerity "Before tonight I would have answered no"

"That is very strange" Agnes said, frowning.

Elsa's gaze was curious, but she contained the question on her lips.

"You don’t know, don’t you?" Agnes said in amazement "You have great powers, I can see it"

"Me?" Elsa asked laughing "I think you're wrong. I have never done anything remotely magical in my life"

"All people have magic within themselves, some more than others" the woman said as she leaned against the wall of the cavern "But they are afraid of it"

Merik listened thoughtfully to the women's conversation.

"If we all had magic, why don't people go flying and throwing balls of light everywhere?" Elsa asked incredulously.

"For the same reason that you’re asking me this question" Agnes paused "Because they don't believe. Magic carries great responsibilities, it's easier to know nothing about it"

Stillness spread over them again. The sorceress's words had a hint of truth, Elsa thought. But still, she refused to believe that she could throw blue orbs with her hands and knock a man on the beach. She preferred her bow and arrows.

"Magic is everywhere" Agnes continued. Her eyes were closed. Slowly, she rested the palms of both hands on the rocky floor of the cave "We are all connected to it. It is energy that comes from everything around us, from ourselves. We just have to learn to channel it… to direct it at our will"

As she spoke, small green twigs sprouted from under her hands and opened rapidly, forming leaves of all sizes. The vegetation grew in such a way that it completely surrounded her, but it didn’t stop there. When it had formed a vast cushion of greenery under the sorceress, the bush spread out toward Elsa, slowly.

It surrounded the fire as if it knew it was there then climbed the rock where the young woman was sitting and abruptly stopped its growth.

Moments later, white buds opened and revealed beautiful flowers that adorned the plant in all its extension. Agnes finally opened her eyes.

"If your energy is dedicated to good, then nothing bad will come out of your magic"

Merik and Elsa stared in surprise at the strange plant that had come out of nowhere.

"I'll rest for tonight" she said and lay down on the green vines she had created.

Moments later, the others followed suit. Somehow, that night Agnes brought peace to their dreams.

When the sun brought its rays into the cave, Elsa and Merik were already arranging their bags to set off. They knew that they had to resume the trip as soon as possible and decided to take advantage of each moment of light they had.

Agnes had woken up along with them but, for lack of belongings and without mentioning a word, she descended from where the cave was and sat next to the entrance of the cave, her gaze lost on the horizon.

"What shall we do with her?" Elsa asked.

"I don't know" replied the blacksmith. He had all his leather bags on his shoulder and his armor firmly on its place. He was looking in Agnes's direction from inside the cave. The sun reflected off the glowing armor and made him look imposing. "I think we should ask her if she doesn't want to come with us to Gørban"

Elsa joined him at the entrance to the cavern and watched her too. She looked very fragile from afar.

"Alright" conceded the girl "If that's where she’s going, we'll let her join us"

He descended from the cave and headed to meet Agnes.

Merik watched her carefully, the girl's face had recovered its stoicism and its upright walk, it was clear there was something in the new arrival that did not sit well with the bounty hunter. The girl had been alone for so long that any new person in her life was taken as a strange and dangerous being. He felt sorry for her.

He imitated Elsa's steps, thinking that he should not become so attached to the young woman, after all, he would hand her over to King of Vanaheim for stealing the sword. Gἑrỡs didn’t belong to her.

* * *

Silje was led, tied up, to one of the castle rooms. She had heard that Hans wanted her closer to him.

Earlier that morning two men entered the dungeon where they were holding her captive and had abruptly led her upstairs.

Silje felt weak, the darkness of the place where they had her locked up weakened her noticeably, her whole body ached and, when the guards wanted her to get up, she could hardly stand up. She climbed the roughly carved stone staircase supported by one of the men. They were very large in themselves, so the weight of the weakened queen didn’t require too much effort.

The guards, wearing heavy robes with blood-red accents, held the queen by the arms on both sides and squeezing her flesh tightly with their rustic hands.

She didn’t know exactly where they were going, she had been locked up for four days, but the simple act of seeing the sun through the massive windows of the castle lifted her spirits. The castle wasn’t a bright place like her own, the little sun that passed through the curtains formed light barriers in the deserted hallways.

"Where are you taking me?” Silje asked in a broken voice. Her long blond hair fell heavily over her shoulders. The white dress she wore was frayed at its lower edge and had visible stains of blood and dirt. Although the blood didn’t belong to the queen, she feared that it was from one of her court friends who had perished risking their lives so that she could escape. She closed her eyes, the vain sacrifice of these women filled her with anguish.

"The king ordered us to relocate you" said one of them abruptly. The guards' faces were covered with thick black beards. There was no sign of humanity in their eyes.

That way, Hans's men had dragged her throughout the castle. They wandered down countless stairs and long halls until they came to a wide and gloomy hallway. The windows were covered with mismatched darks fabrics, the only thing that allowed them to see the path they were traveling, despite the fact that the sun was shining brightly outside, were small torches located on both sides of the doors that were located in this corridor.

One of the guards holding her walked to the far right door, knocked and waited. There was a strange roar from inside and the guard entered. There were four heavy double doors in that hallway, the first ones were wide open, from them came out from time to time, heavily armed guards and ferocious men who, due to their ornate clothing, must have had high ranks in the Skjærsilden army. It didn't take long for the guard to leave the room, when he opened the door again and headed towards Silje, smoke and the putrid aroma of sulfur accompanied him to the vicinity of the queen.

"We will take her to her room, there she will stay until the princess decides" he said sullenly. Both men took her arms again and led her to the room whose door stood at the end of the hall, but on the opposite side to the one the guard had visited.

One of them pushed Silje into the room and closed it outside, the queen was alone again.

But this confinement was different, she thought as she scrambled to her feet and staggered as she tried to advance on her own. The room had two huge windows that went from ceiling to near the floor, they were uncovered so that the sun entered freely and illuminated everything that was within its reach. Large rugs covered the glossy wooden floor, and ancient tapestries hung on the walls. A canopied bed was in the middle of the room, its cushions were embroidered in gold threads with fine and delicate motifs. A very beautiful blanket covered it. The room had a warm air that Silje found comforting.

She walked slowly to the bed and gently lay down in the bed, her body didn’t immediately recognize the fluffy surface so she resented the movement with a wince. She closed her eyes for a few moments, in this place it was easy to pretend that nothing bad had happened. That Hans, king of Skjærsilden, had not kidnapped her, and that she hadn’t spent four days underground, chained to a rock wall.

But to pretend that nothing had happened would be to deceive herself in a way that was dangerous. Her future was uncertain and although she knew her husband must be fighting through heaven and earth to find her, she couldn’t depend on it. She didn’t know how long it would take Eirik to rescue her, and she didn’t trust the sudden change of treatment of her captors. She had to do something, her son's life also depended on it.

She got up as quickly as she could despite her aching body and sitting in that imposing bed began to think of a way to escape.

But something caught her attention. Next to the farthest window was a small round table, in it was a fountain full of fresh fruits. Silje recalled that in the past four days, all she had eaten was a loaf of bread and some water so she approached the table hesitantly. The fruits were bright and with inviting colors, her stomach made a bubbling noise. She took an apple and took a bite out of it. The sweet juice of the fruit slid down her throat like a blessing. Part of her strength seemed to return to her body.

Silje was tasting her second apple when the door opened.

"I see that you are comfortable now" said a girl with an erect and proud posture. She was wearing a tunic of bright crimson colors that clung to her slender body and a black cape that reached the ground.

Silje left the table, walking backward as the woman advanced.

"Don't be afraid" she told her as she stopped dead in the face of the queen's movement, "I won't hurt you"

"Are you the princess?" Silje asked.

The princess nodded and took off her cloak, placing it on the back of an old armchair next to the small table where Silje had been sitting.

"My name is Anna" she said slowly, Silje noticed how she tried not to be intimidating, but without very good results. The girl would have looked peaceful if the queen had not met her in such horrible circumstances but now she visibly struggled to communicate with the queen without scaring her.

"Why did they bring me here?" Silje asked, guided mainly by her curiosity. She wasn't as intimidated by Anna as she was by Hans, who was apparently her older brother.

"Do you prefer the dungeon?" she asked, staring at her with her intense teal eyes.

"Of course not" the queen replied forcefully. She went to the bed and sat there trying not to be near the princess.

At that moment there was a knock on the door and a guard in heavy armor entered.

"You highness" the man started, but was interrupted by Anna's growl.

"I said I don't want interruptions" the princess raised her voice from her seat. The guard quickly excused himself and left the room.

"I'm sorry for the interruption" Anna said. Silje didn’t reply. "I'm glad you liked the fruits and I hope you feel comfortable here"

"I just want to go back to my kingdom" Silje said trying to hide a sob, her resistances were faltering, fatigue and fear were too much for her. Anna stood up and walked towards her, Silje trembled instead. The princess sat beside her, staring at her.

"Sorry about your court" she started to say. Silje looked up.

Anna seemed to be younger than her, just a young girl. Her face, tempered by the elements, was lined with freckles and small scars, new and old. She appeared to be a tough and strong warrior but, as the queen could see, she had very warm eyes. Unlike Hans's cold ones, Anna's teal eyes had a different sparkle. Not like any princess she knew, though.

"You…, were you one of them?" Silje asked hesitantly, remembering the horde of warriors who ambushed her court by the Namsen River.

Anna nodded again.

Silje tilted her head trying to hide the tears that were struggling to fall.

Anna shifted uncomfortably in her seat at the queen's cry but didn’t tried to apologize. She was just following her brother’s orders but apologizing for her did would be an insult to the lives lost in that incident.

At that moment, the door to the room opened again. Hans, king of Skjærsilden, entered with strong steps in the direction of Silje. Anna stood up immediately.

"Here you are" Hans said to his younger sister "I was wondering why you sneaked out so fast today. I always thought you enjoyed our training sessions"

"You are the only one who can enjoy this barbarism" replied the princess with her eyes glued to the floor.

Hans laughed loudly, his sister's weakness amused him.

"Do you not agree with the plan we are carrying out?" he asked, his threatening tone frightening Silje herself, who was still sitting on the bed.

"Of course I do" Anna replied wearily, looking up to meet her brother's defiant stare.

"Good" said Hans, turning to Silje. "My dear little sister has gotten me to agree to bring you into this room. Don't make me regret it"

After these words, the king hurriedly left the room.

"Hurry up" he growled to Anna on his way out "I have to talk to the warlock"

The princess briefly looked at Silje and followed him.

"Thank you" the queen whispered as she left. Anna didn’t turn back.

* * *

Merik, Agnes and Elsa arrived at the port village of Gørban in the mid-morning. For hundreds of years, that village had been the door of the kingdom to the rest of the world. Its port, even larger than the city of Vanaheim, saw thousands of ships moored and set sail each day. The docks were crowded with boats of all sizes and draft. Huge galleons awaited the boarding of their sailors, small barges unloaded the products of the Great Sea obtained by their fishermen. Sails of all lengths were spread out in every corner. Most of the ships that anchored in this port were destined for trade, making the Gørban market one of the most nourished and populous in the region.

Both Merik and Elsa walked the busy streets of the village in search of a tavern. They were looking for a place that would allow them to fill their stomachs decently, although Merik was not a bad cook and Elsa defended herself well enough, neither of them would refuse a well-prepared lunch. Agnes, for her part, followed them with a carefree air, bumping into several people who were also walking down the crowded street. But that was not the only reason, Agnes entire appearance was in itself very striking.

The three of them had reached a small town square that was located in the part of the village furthest from the port. Everything there was less bustling and busy. There were some stalls where lively vendors offered their wares, crafts, and preparations.

"Let's rest here" said Merik, pointing to a small inn almost hidden between a smithy and a fur stall.

They sat and remained silent for a long time. Agnes continued to watch every person who marched past the table they occupied. Merik was enjoying a very dark beer and Elsa was staring blankly at the sea that stretched far ahead of her.

The village of Gørban was situated between the slope of the Breksa mountain range and the shores of the Great Sea. Most of the houses, those far from the port, the heart of the village, had been built on the slopes of the mountains. So from there, the entire city could be seen.

"We'll have to get some gold" Merik said, pulling her out of her reverie.

Elsa turned and saw him counting small golden circles that he had just extracted from a leather pouch. She, in turn, took out a similar pouch from an inside pocket of her cloak, extracted from it some twenty coins embossed with the Vanaheim shield, and gave them to the knight. Merik looked at her in surprise and then at the golden discs he now had in his hand. The opposing lions, symbol of Vanaheim's crown, shone in the sunlight streaming through the houses.

"It's the only thing left from the last thief I caught" Elsa explained before Merik's stunned gaze.

"I didn't think you were so skilled, milady" the man had resumed his carefree banter.

"I already told you I’m a bounty hunter" Elsa said, wanting to hide the smile of satisfaction that the knight's comment produced. "And a very good one. I’ve thinking that maybe this city has some work for people like me, so I can make a bit more gold to aid our journey.

"You’re right" Merik acknowledged, with a regret in his heart, that the young woman had already included him in her plans, without thinking that he wanted to send her back to the king. "But we must be cautious, sleeping on the outskirts of the city would be the most reasonable option.

Elsa nodded, they were both leaving a certain sorceress out of the discussion who didn't seem to notice, after all, they had only offered to take her to Gørban. And there they were.

"I want to go with you" she suddenly told them, her green eyes shining with an unusual intensity.

"What do you mean? You don’t know where we’re going" Elsa asked.

"I want to accompany you" the woman repeated firmly "I heard what you said when we arrived at the village. You are looking for a way to rescue the queen and I want to accompany you"

"You have nothing to do there" Merik informed her trying not to sound too harsh. "I don't think such a fragile woman should be exposed to danger"

"I am not fragile" she replied curtly, "Besides, I’m not doing it for the queen. The king of Skjærsilden is who I want."

Silence stretched between Merik and Elsa who exchanged glances.

"Alright" Merik said, pulling back his chair.

Elsa shot a cold reproachful glance at the knight for making a tremendous addition to a group that was too numerous already.

"But you must be under the orders of the lady here" Merik clarified.

Agnes looked carefully at Elsa, as if she were looking for a clue in her that proclaimed her the leader of the group.

"I’ll follow your orders" she replied laconically and resumed her previous activity: observing everything around her.

They had lunch in that small inn and then continued walking through the city. After wandering between stalls and merchants, they decided to set up their camp in a grove that was to the south of the city, it was said to be quiet but that some thugs were prowling the area. It was good news for Elsa and Merik who hoped to get some gold capturing those thieves and handing them to the authorities. They would use themselves as baits, some fool would want to steal from them and that would be their end.


	4. Tiny Problems

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just imagine Kristoff at the beginning of F1... now your ready for the chapter :)

Agnes, leaning against a tree the watched the young woman in front of her as if carefully analyzing her. She had delicate features but a little rough manners, there was anger inside her, and loneliness… years of loneliness. Agnes understood why Elsa was so suspicious of her, both their origins were different but their history was marked by abandonment and pain. The difference lay in that Agnes sought revenge, she would kill with her own hands the one who took what she loved the most, her family; but she didn’t know if Elsa was pursuing the same objective. All in all, the blond archer’s current plans favored her.

Agnes would never forget when a young Hans and his terrible warriors invaded the small village of Gyfu, where she and her father lived. The evil man had murdered all the mages one by one, until he got what he was looking for. He said that everyone's fate was in his hands as his knights slaughtered the villagers. Agnes had been saved because she was still too young to possess considerable powers; According to Hans, it was not worth it to wield a sword for her. Once his objective was achieved, that horrid, decadent face and dull hair, along with his warriors, burned all the houses. A few elderly and children managed to escape by entering the forest that surrounded the village, where they subsisted for several years. When the elders finally perished, the young sorcerers scattered throughout the kingdom of Vanaheim seeking peace. Except Agnes, she would avenge the death of her people or perish in the attempt.

Not so long ago she had run into the queen herself and predicted a great future for her and her son. She hoped that the heir to Vanaheim would rule the kingdom with justice and goodness, just like the previous kings. The previous kings had brought peace and prosperity to the kingdom, all except the current ruler, prince consort Eirik. The man who insisted to be called king of Vanaheim was ruthless and greedy, the kingdom had fallen out of grace since he ascended to power.

Agnes's thoughts continued to sail as the star-studded sky that rested over the grove they had chosen to spend the night. It wasn’t a large forest but the lush trees offered excellent shelter. The city of Gørban was too bustling, and both Merik and Elsa thought it was a good idea to rest in the outskirts. They had chosen that place on purpose, there was a gang of thieves taking refuge in that place and, according to what they heard in the village, that night the village authorities would be looking for them. They just hoped they were dumb enough to try to rob them, so they would catch them first and collect the reward.

For the moment, peace reigned around the small fire that Agnes had lit, she only had to stare at the pile of twigs that Merik had deposited on the ground, for a flame began to dance on the dry firewood.

"I see that magic can be useful" Elsa had commented in passing. Agnes knew that the girl's curiosity was great, but her pride was even greater, so she made no further comment. Elsa would come to her on her own.

The night had become a blanket of thick darkness. Agnes was lying by the fire, Elsa and Merik stood expectantly at any sign of movement.

"Are you sure they will come?" Merik whispered.

"They will" Elsa replied calmly.

It had not been long since Elsa's words had crossed the silence when nearby branches were slightly shaken. There was no wind that night, the rest of the trees remained motionless.

"Leave it to me" Elsa mused pretending to stoke the fire.

Merik nodded. When it came to hunting, the girl had more experience. There was a noise of moving foliage again, this time to his right. It was just one, and very agile by the way it moved.

Elsa took her sword, but didn’t draw it. She sat again for a few seconds.

"I'll go get some water" she said suddenly, loud enough to be heard by whoever was wandering around. She took one of the small pots that Merik had with him and headed in the opposite direction from where the noise came. The girl entered the darkness and then disappeared. Merik remained seated, his gaze lost in the fire but his senses alert. Agnes lay still, her open eyes reflecting the flames.

When the intruder was heard again, he was already very close to Merik, right behind him, he tensed his body, but remained motionless.

Suddenly, a series of rapid movements gave way to a gasp. Then silence again. Merik took his sword and turned in the direction of the noises. Between struggles and wails, Elsa emerged from the thicket of the forest holding tightly to a child who struggled in vain to break free. The girl had managed to tie his wrists and was pushing him into the firelight. The child couldn’t be more than six or seven years old. A thick clump of blond hair covered his forehead, his skin gleaming in the light of the fire as sweat fell as he struggled to free himself.

"Sit down" Elsa said to him although her voice lacked severity. The boy obeyed, he knew how to recognize when he had lost.

Merik smiled at Elsa.

"How did you know?" he asked as the girl who took a place next to him.

"To be so agile, you had to be small" she explained briefly.

"And what is your name, boy?" Agnes asked from the other side of the fire.

The little boy didn’t answer right away.

"Answer the lady" Merik said with a straight face but with a very fatherly tone in his voice**.**

The boy looked at him from his place. He was sitting in front of a very strange woman, next to him was the girl who caught him and on the other, a man who, at first glance, seemed very strong.

"Kristoff, ma'am" he answered loud and clear.

"What are you doing here?" Elsa asked. Her voice was now warm and friendly, Merik was surprised by the the girl’s reaction, in the few days he knew her he had not seen her treat anyone she just met so well.

"I live here" he answered with a small voice and rested his gaze on the horizon.

Part of the Great Sea could be seen among the trees. The moonlight, darkening at times due to dense black clouds, traced a brilliant path in the waves. Small meandering ridges reflected the huge whitish disk and then plunged back into the depths of the waters. The sea was restless that night.

"And your family?" Merik asked, though he had a vague idea of what might have happened to them.

"I have no family" Kristoff replied, burying his head in his arms. "You will hand me over, right?"

Nobody answered. All three had very personal reasons for not wanting to answer that question.

Elsa stared at him, she didn’t want to be responsible for this child's fate. She looked up to find Merik's eyes but noticed that he was looking at a point behind her. She followed his gaze and was surprised to see a group of torches moving toward them.

Kristoff trembled in hisplace. He had also noticed the group of men heading there.

"The Governor sent his guards" he said in a barely audible whisper and his hand clutched at Elsa's cloak.

"Who are you?" one of them asked abruptly when they reached the small, makeshift camp.

"Only travelers, sir" Merik replied calmly.

The man hesitated at first but when he looked at them more closely he could do no more than accept what the man was telling him. Also, how many problems could a man, two women, and a child cause?

Until he paid attention to the smallest of the group.

"Are you looking for the thieves hiding in this forest?" Elsa asked "Is it true that you offer a reward for them?"

Merik looked at her closely, her impassive face gave no thought.

"That's right" replied the knight, on whose shield were stamped the opposing lions and the symbol of the kingdom of Vanaheim. "You" he said, addressing Kristoff. "You're from around here, don’t you?"

Kristoff didn’t reply.

"It's him, sir" said one of them men who was at the end of the formation. "He is also one of them."

The little boy looked up at the accusation, his face covered with fear but, valiantly, stood up and faced them.

"I won't let you take me"

Her weak knees trembled as one of the strong knights strode to meet him.

"Wait" Elsa had suddenly sat up and interrupted the man's path, her arm wrapped around the boy and pulled him towards her. "This scoundrel tried to rob us a few moments ago and we will make him pay for his audacity."

The group of men murmured. The knight, who seemed to be the highest ranked, smiled before coming forward.

"My name is Faelan, I’m in charge of the security around Gørban lands. For months we have been looking for a group of vermin that assault every traveler who passes through this grove, and it seems that our little friend here is a lively apprentice of them" he said, putting his hand on the boy's tousled hair "Fine, we will let you take care of the little one, the rest of the thieves worry us more"

He turned around and ordered one of his men to pay the young woman the reward.

The man who had come to fetch Kristoff handed Elsa gleaming gold coins, then bowed deeply, causing his thick black hair to tip over his forehead. Faelan signaled the rest of his men and they began their search again.

Around the fire, four people remained silent. Elsa had sat down again after putting the coins in her small leather bag then put some of the stew that Merik had cooked for that night in one of the pots that they used as dishes and handed it to Kristoff. The boy took it cautiously.

"Eat, you need to put some flesh over those bones" the girl said sweetly. Both Merik and Agnes were still dumbfounded by the young woman's behavior, but both believed they understood why she reacted like this towards the boy.

Kristoff ate in silence. Elsa watched him closely, his slim little body hunched over and forming a small ball by the fire as he quickly devoured the food.

_He is alone_, she thought bitterly. The need to protect him entered her chest with a thud. She had been alone as a child, all she remembered was her name, when a charitable soul had saved her life.

"Why did you do that?" Kristoff asked incredulously "I thought you would hand me over to them"

Elsa didn’t answer, her thoughts kept wandering in distant lands of intense cold and loneliness. Merik took over the explanations.

"Actually, you didn't steal from us but we got the reward anyway. So we don't have to accuse you of anything" he said with a huge smile, "Besides, I think you're made of good wood, son. You tried to fend for yourself, you have courage. Someday you'll be a good man"

The boy smiled at him proudly. It was evident that the knight inspired respect in him.

"You’ll come with us" Elsa sentenced suddenly, and then, with a much more leisurely tone, she continued "If we leave you here, you will steal again so, while our trip lasts you will be safe with us, warm and fed. When all this ends we’ll see what we can do with you"

Agnes smiled covertly as she lay back down on the fresh forest grass. _"The girl has a good heart_", she thought,_ "I was not mistaken, she will be a great leader"_

Merik was also smiling as he adjusted himself on blankets.

"I see that all is not lost," he said, without addressing anyone in particular, but the two women understood what he was referring to.

Carefully Elsa spread some fur next to her blankets and motioned for Kristoff to lie down as well.

The little boy took his place in silence and closed his eyes.

"Don't even dream of escaping" Elsa whispered in her ear "Because I will find you and catch you as easy as I did today"

The girl offered a wide and sincere smile to the boy, who just nodded. She didn’t know Kristoff had no plans to escape.

* * *

Hans and Anna were heading to the War Room, in one of the castle towers. The warlock was waiting there.

Arriving at the door, they spotted the scrawny, shadowy figure of Eylack, sorcerer and adviser of Duatros’ kingdom. No one knew that the man was in Hans's service, which is why the king decided to use him as a messenger.

"Go gather a group of warriors" he said sullenly to Anna who looked at him strangely "Then come back here"

The girl couldn’t do more than follow her brother's orders, it seemed strange that he didn’t let her hear his conversation with Eylack. After all, she too had to suffer the consequences of it all.

With the door closed behind her, the Princess of Duatros made her way to the darkest part of the castle's dungeons, where the best warriors in the service of the king were trained.

"Doesn't the princess participate in your plans?" Eylack asked in a mellow voice as his gaze followed Hans as he paced the room and took his place at the sturdy table in the center of it.

"I don't trust her" Hans growled once he sat down "It’s better if she doesn’t know anything. I just need her to follow my orders"

The warlock nodded and remained in place. After a few seconds he spoke again.

"The king of Vanaheim will send a contingent of warriors here, my lord, they will set sails in the morning. He wants to retrieve the queen so as not to raise suspicions" Eylack paused trying to read the stony expression on Hans's face. "He wants to give you the northern lands"

At the latter, the king of Duatros laughed out loud, filling the corners of the room with reverberating echoes charged with fury.

"That useless Eirik believes that I will finish what he couldn’t twenty years ago, and he intends to pay me with filthy icy hills inhabited by barbarians"

The man laughed again, this time, a cold smile was imprinted on his face.

"This will cost him more than he ever imagined. He should’ve never trusted me!"

"But we were counting on that, sir" Eylack said. "With his despair. Eirik will do anything to keep the crown over his head, including exposing his own wife and son to danger"

"That idiot didn’t realize that he is giving us the kingdom on a silver tray so that we simply take it. You’re right, we were counting on that"

"Now, my lord" said the old man approaching "Shall we continue with what was planned?"

Hans noticed how Eylack dodged the only moonbeam sneaking into the room.

"Yes, go on. I will send Anna to Ezca. I didn’t think we would have a battle so soon, but I think is a good opportunity to make Eirik a bit nervous…"

Silence gripped the room. Hans's last words were still reverberating in the air, as if kept alive by the hatred with which they were spoken, when someone knocked on the door.

"Come in" growled the king from his chair.

"Everything is ready" Anna informed him from the door lintel "Where's Eylack?"

"It's already gone" Hans said without giving it too much importance. He got up and went to meet his sister. "I want you to go to the island of Ezca, take a full squad. There you will find the Vanaheim Knights docking in its port. Kill them all."

Anna nodded again as she marched to the main courtyard of the castle, where her men waited. She knew from the beginning that her brother would not settle for conquering just a few lands, when he could have everything. The barter Eirik had offered him had always seemed far-fetched. He couldn't pay for a custom murder with a couple of mountains if he was dealing with the King and Great General of Duatros. The princess thought Eirik would learn that by force.

She reached the esplanade where her men held rigid positions before her arrival.

The lieutenant stepped forward.

"We are ready to depart, my lady. What is our destination?"

"Ezca" Anna said as she checked that everything was ready. "I will go with you. We will intercept the knights who want to rescue the queen. Our mission is to finish them off"

"But, ma'am…"

"What?!" The princess exclaimed at the questioning from her subordinate.

"Well… ma'am. Why Ezca? Wouldn't it be better to wait for them here?"

"Anyone who wants to cross the Great Sea will have to pass through the island of Ezca to stock up. Now stop questioning the king's orders and get everyone on the fastest ship in our shipyards.

The warrior immediately obeyed.


	5. Warriors from Hell

Meanwhile, Elsa and the others rested under a sky covered in thick, dark clouds. The moon was no longer visible from that part of the grove. It was close to dawn and the night had been warm. Elsa turned in her place and found a little body curled up behind her. Elsa smiled when she saw Kristoff make tucked next to her. He didn’t tried to escape.

The first birds were beginning to announce the dawn, but the overcast sky would not let see the sunrise that morning. Elsa felt suddenly cold.

Despite being in the warmest part of the year, the young woman had to cover herself with one of the furs she carried with her, she approached Kristoff and covered him too. The cold intensified even more, awakening Agnes and Merik, who sat up surprised at the abrupt change in temperature, exhaling the characteristic winter mist from their mouths.

"Something is not right" Agnes said and stood up quickly. The sorceress had taken an alert and expectant posture, observing everything around her. The sounds of the forest ceased from one moment to the next, the silence didn’t bode well with the group of travelers. Nothing moved around them, neither the wind nor the animals that usually wandered around.

Elsa and Merik imitated Agnes and adopted defensive poses. The knight gripped his sword tightly as Elsa unsheathed her. They gathered in the center of the clearing where they had camped, scanning in all directions.

A flock of birds took flight in the distance.

"Ark Phenil" Agnes murmured, breaking the silence with her spell. A small ball of fire shot out of her right hand toward the thicket of the forest.

Both Elsa and Merik watched her.

"There’s something there" the sorceress informed them without taking her eyes off her target. They both turned to the point she was looking at.

Certainly, the darkness was denser there and a strange energy emanated from those depths, Elsa didn't know exactly what it was, but her whole body reacted to the fluctuation of energy and her senses sharpened even more. Time passed but no one was coming from that dark gap between the trees.

Far from getting down his guard, Merik stepped forward with his sword raised to where the small fireball had been lost. A few steps before entering the trees, the knight stopped. From the depths of the darkness, a gigantic sword swung in his direction, Merik managed to lift his blade just in time to stop the sharp weapon of his attacker before it could cut him in half. But the force of the blow, which had taken him by surprise, knocked him back.

They all took a few steps back, trying to get away from whatever was walking in their direction. Agnes murmured a few words and laid her hand on Kristoff, who had pulled out a small knife and was getting ready to fight. Elsa watched out of the corner of her eye as a golden aura covered the child, somehow, this calmed her; she knew that Kristoff would be safe.

When Merik stood up again, two figures to appear from the cloak of darkness where they were hidden. The creatures were unlike anything Elsa had seen before. They were taller than a normal man, and very strong, for the swords they wielded seemed to be three times the size of the one she carried in her hands. They were clad in completely black armor that resembled solid rock, certainly not made of metal. The helmet hid any portion of the face and its eyes were hidden behind an impenetrable darkness. In each fold of those strange armor, a glowing blue glow was visible.

"Haegels" Merik said next to the young woman. Elsa didn't know what he meant, but it couldn't be a good thing. "Aim at the glistening gaps between the armor or the eyes."

With that said, the knight lunged at the nearest creature, although it seemed crazy to the girl to attack first, she headed off too into battle.

Agnes stepped before Kristoff to cover him, ready to defend herself against the second creature that had emerged from the darkness. To her left, Merik and Elsa fought with the Haegel who defended himself very well, even against two good swordsmen it seemed to have an advantage. Kristoff tried to throw himself against the creature that was approaching them, but the woman stopped him.

"They’re very dangerous" she told him and pushed him back. "Cover my back"

The boy nodded and turned to see how Elsa had backed away. Merik continued the fierce fight against that strange warrior, he had a deep wound in his shoulder that was bleeding profusely.

"ARK PHENIL!" Agnes shouted. This time, the fireball was much larger and it was thrown from the sorceress's hands with great force. The beast staggered into place and paused for a few moments upon being hit by the spell, but resumed its march without harm.

Agnes and Kristoff backed away. A grunt of pain came from the left, Merik had been wounded again, this time in his leg, the figure of the knight collapsed with all his weight on his one healthy knee alarmed him. The creature took its sword in both hands and prepared to deliver its final blow. But Elsa had stepped back to find a weapon with which she felt most comfortable, she tightened the string of her bow and the accurate arrow she fired embedded itself in the opening on the creature's breastplate.

The strange being stood motionless for a few moments, its sword, still raised above its head, slowly beginning to lose grip until it fell to its feet and instantly melted onto the forest floor. Only the hilt remained, gleaming in the pale light of dawn. Then the beast collapsed.

Elsa, seeing that it would no longer move, ran to aid Merik who was trying to get to his feet with difficulty. But the girl didn’t manage to get to where the knight was, a heavy hand sank into her belly, throwing her back with force. The second warrior had turned around and with its free hand had struck the young woman with great strength.

Elsa felt the bark of the hard tree that stopped her fall bruising her back, she was trying to sit back up when the creature was already on her. The edge of its sword cut through the air.

"Nooo!" Kristoff exclaimed.

"KEOWN WYN!" Agnes's voice rang out loud and clear again, her hands reaching out to Elsa at the exact moment that the sword was about to make contact with Elsa's arms, which she had unconsciously raised to protect herself. The same golden aura that covered Kristoff spread over the young woman's body, the creature's sword bounced off Elsa's body, releasing a wave of glowing energy.

The beast was confused but tried again. This time, before the sword descended on the girl's crouching body, the creature was mortally wounded by Merik who, having got up, slid his sword through the attacker's exposed neck.

The head rolled onto the grass and the body collapsed soon after. Merik fell to his knee again, leaning on his sword. Everyone was motionless and surprised, they never thought to find something like this in this part of the trip. The first to move was Elsa, who slowly approached the figure that lay on the ground, the armor was empty. The parts of the stone armor that protected it were scattered, without sign of the body that carried them.

"They disappeared" she said in a choked voice.

"They melted" Agnes explained as she helped Merik up.

"How?" Elsa asked, still staring at the lifeless armor in front of her.

"Those things are called Haegels" Merik explained, sitting on a rock and watching the deep wound in his left arm.

"Haegels… the mythical warriors from the underworld?" Elsa said surprised, staring at him. "I thought they were just fables, that they really didn't exist"

Kristoff had reached out to the young woman and helped her up as well. Elsa thanked him with a smile and they both joined Agnes and Merik who had rekindled the fire from which only embers of the previous night remained.

"But…" Elsa continued, trying to make sense of what just happened.

"They are beings made of ice, they are said to move with the coldness of the hearts of warriors burning in hell" Agnes explained.

"What are they doing out of hell, then?" the young woman questioned again.

"I don't know, but it can only mean one thing, the gates of hell have been opened and there are worse creatures that can get out of there"

"This is all about the war between Duatros and Vanaheim, right?" Kristoff questioned with his innocent brown eyes opened wide.

"It is probable" Elsa whispered as she crossed her arm over the little boy's shoulders and brought him closer to her. "But don't worry, you will be safe with us."

The clouds that had kept the sun from showing its splendor at dawn had quickly dissipated.

Agnes healed Merik's wounds magically, under the watchful eye of Elsa who no longer bothered to hide her curiosity.

The woman had taken a few drops of water and formed a constant thread that she handled with her hands, the water circulating freely between her fingers. When she brought the crystalline liquid closer to the knight's skin, his wounds began to heal instantly.

When the healings were done and their belongings packed, the group headed back to the city of Gørban, they had to get through the hectic port to get a boat if they wanted to arrive to Romsdalen before all hell breaks loose. No one had mentioned any detail, but it was clear that both Agnes and Kristoff had joined the journey for good.

Merik and the little boy had taken the lead, Kristoff overwhelming the man with questions about swords and how to use them in combat. Merik responded animatedly. "I promise to teach you how to use them, if you are well behaved during our trip" he said to the boy in a serious tone.

"Of course!" exclaimed Kristoff.

Agnes and Elsa, who followed them closely, smiled at the boy's enthusiasm.

"Agnes" Elsa began, her eyes lost on the winding path. "I wanted to thank you for what you did today… for saving my life."

Agnes turned and watched her carefully, there was sincerity in her words.

"Don't worry about it, it was nothing" she replied calmly.

"I would like…” Elsa hesitated and stopped, Agnes followed suit. The women's eyes met for a moment before Elsa's eyes strayed. "I would like you to teach me how to use magic"

A huge smile crossed the sorceress's face, she approached the young woman and took her hand.

"I would love to teach you."

Elsa nodded smiling and they continued on their way. The young woman felt a great weight lifting from her shoulders.

* * *

The whole situation was strange. He still couldn't figure out what a pair of Haegels were doing in that part of the kingdom, let alone why they attacked them.

Merik continued walking on the path that led to the city, some of the houses were already visible and people became more abundant as they went closer to the port. The knight couldn’t get the battle of that morning out of his mind. Those creatures should not even be in this world, however, they had been presented to them a few hours before and, no doubt, their intention was to kill them.

The main question that wandered through Merik's mind was why them? Maybe it could be because of… no, there was no way they could go after _her_.

As they entered the city, Merik's doubts began to become certainties, there was no doubt that Elsa was in danger, but he didn’t know who could be behind the attacks. Also, there was the fact that the girl something out of the ordinary, she was a skilled warrior and very strong, she was too young to control the sword the way she did.

Thousands of images filled his thoughts, memories of a few nights ago.

He didn’t usually go out at night to hunt, however, that night he went out just to find her wounded, after fighting with those bandits. Something had brought him to her, and something made him accompany her now. He was no longer interested in knowing where she got Gἑrỡs from, he just wanted to know who that girl was. And the only way to do it was to rescue Silje. If his hunch was correct, the queen would have much to explain

The only thing that remained clear to him was his resolve to protect her. Fate had given him the opportunity to make amends for his past mistakes, and this time he would not fail.

On the way to the city, Agnes and Elsa had the first fluent conversation since they met. The group was heading to the port of Gørban. There, all kinds of boats sailed at all times with different directions, they just needed to find one that was heading to Duatros.

It would be a long journey. The forest of Romsdalen, the last place where the queen had been seen, was at the other end of the Great Sea. Surely, they would have to anchor in Ezca, a small island that was located, exactly, between the two land masses.

Kristoff was trying his best to carry Elsa's bags while trying to keep up with Merik. The man had offered to help him but the boy had refused.

"I can do it” the little one had assured him.

The beads of sweat were beginning to trail his forehead but he would fulfill his task. Merik looked at Elsa but she just nodded, she valued Kristoff's effort and felt it would be good to let him do his work.

"Earlier you said that there were worse things in hell than those that attacked us" the girl asked Agnes.

"Yes, it is said that there is a whole fauna of monsters living there. Although not all of them can cross."

"Why?"

"A matter of balance between good and evil" Agnes replied without giving too much details.

"Between Order and Chaos" Elsa said seriously.

Kai had told her many times about the balance the gods sought when everything was created. It was known that evil could not be extinguished, so the Soul of the World instituted a balance that could not be broken.

"Those warriors belong to a race of semi-demons, the Jötnar. For that reason they can cross."

"But they can cross at will?"

"Of course not, they are here because someone made them come out of hell."

"What person would do such a thing?" Elsa asked in surprise.

Agnes rested her gaze on the girl's profile, there was still a little innocence in her.

"Someone who is willing to sacrifice a lot to have them here"

Agnes seemed concerned. And it was no wonder, Elsa thought. With those monsters on the loose, rescuing the queen was only one of their problems. She looked at the small group of people who now accompanied her. Problems that kept adding to it all.

They continued walking through the city, the first vestiges of the port and its crowd were in sight and the salty smell of the sea invaded their nostrils. Uncertainty flooded Elsa's thoughts, t_he person who was willing to make a sacrifice so that those horrendous creatures could come out of hell, must also have a lot to gain._

* * *

A large ship was waiting in the dock of the Vanaheim harbor, ready to set sail. The crowd cheered as they saw the powerful warriors of the kingdom board it. Almost the entire city was there.

Eirik stood stoic, his gaze on the horizon, while, one by one, his soldiers stopped in front of him and bowed deeply before leaving.

It was an important contingent he was deploying. They should arrive at the port of Duatros in eight days. The mission entrusted to these soldiers was to rescue the queen.

They only had to get to Hans's castle and he would give her to them. Eirik fervently hoped it would end there and the King of Duatros would keep his word and deliver his wife and son safe and sound.

When all the soldiers had boarded, the royal band began to play the chords of a victory march. The people greeted them cheerfully as the ship lifted anchor and began to move. The soldiers saluted proudly. Only their commander knew what the mission really consisted of, but he did not trust that everything would turn out well. The king of Duatros was not trustworthy and did not believe that a territorial agreement was the best way to end the war.

Willem Skadi, head of the royal guard, had fought in a several battles against Hans's army, he knew that this man could be bloodthirsty and cruel. Such a deal was odd coming from him. When they reached Duatros, he would have to deploy his commander skills to the fullest. His entire family had served in arms to the Vanaheim crown, and he was very proud of it, but this time he would have to apply all the war tactics he knew to be able to successfully fulfill his mission. He made a last bow to the king and went into the cabins, he had a lot to plan.

At the docks, people continued to greet and cheer as the boat drifted farther and farther away. The king's entourage was making the way back to the castle. Guarded by four guards, Eirik ignored the rest of his people. As he was about to get on the carriage that would take him back to the castle, he saw one of his trusted men in the crowd near the docks. He told the coachman not to start yet and waited in the shadows for the man to approach.

"Everything is ready, sir. Our man will intercept them at Gørban this afternoon."

"Good" Eirik replied shortly and ordered the coachman to take him back to the castle.

As he walked away from the crowd, the king begged with all his might that his plan work.

* * *

The port of Gørban, with its many docks, stretched before them. The boats moved lazily from one side to the other. Seafarers swarmed everywhere, some set sail, others disembarked, some offered their freshly caught produce to the town's merchants.

All the bustle of that place contrasted with the quiet forest they had just left.

"I will look for a boat heading to Romsdalen" Merik announced among the crowd of people.

"I’ll go with you!" Kristoff exclaimed, and together they headed for one of the nearest docks.

Agnes and Elsa decided to tour the place.

"Crowds make me feel uncomfortable" Agnes muttered.

"And here I thought I was the hermit of the group" Elsa muttered under her breath.

Together they shared a smile.

"I have always lived alone. Like you, I suppose" explained the older woman "I have come across many strange people, but I have followed my path alone."

"I believed that the Gyfu people lived in communities. Kai told me that the more they were, the stronger they became."

"It is true, but few of us are left. Hans is responsible for exterminating us because of a damn prophecy that no one knows if it’s even real"

"This war is exterminating us all" concluded Elsa.

They walked a little farther, occasionally approaching the vendors who offered their produce in makeshift wooden stalls on the side of the road that linked the docks with each other. They had to stock up for the trip.

"Tell me, who is this Kai you told me about?" Agnes asked.

A smile appeared on the young woman's face, but her gaze expressed the deepest sadness. The girl was slow to speak, she knew she could trust Agnes but the memories caused her a lot of pain. Remembering Kai made her feel like she had no identity, that her past was empty.

All this greatly upset a young woman as proud and independent as she was, but she knew that the only way to heal old wounds was to let the pain out little by little.

"Kai was my best friend, my mentor. He found me as a child and took care of me ever since." "What happened to your parents?"

"I don't know. All I remember is that I was alone in a town square, north of the kingdom. It was snowing morning… but I wasn’t cold, the cold never really bother me"

Elsa sat on the edge of one of the docks followed by Agnes, and staring into the blue waters that danced at her feet, continued.

"I didn't remember anything and my head hurt terribly, I think I had been hit or something. The only thing I had with me was a leather bag with some clothes and this sword" the girl pointed to the hilt that was visible through the opening of her cloak "And that's when I saw Kai. Everyone who passed by ignored me, but he came up to me and asked me what I was doing in that place, alone. I don't remember having answered anything."

They fell into deep silence. The rowdy port seemed to have lost all sound.

"According to Kai, I was around four years old" Elsa continued, "I was too young to remember anything else. I only know that he took me to his house, in the Enchanted Forest, and we lived there since then. At least until five years ago. Kai passed away, he was very old already."

Agnes took Elsa’s hand.

"We are more alike than you think" she said, firmly tighten the young woman's hand.

"When I was little, a squad of black knights invaded our town, in Gyfu. Hans led them, although he was not king yet. Everyone knew him as The Dark Prince, for the cruelty with which he treated his subjects and for the crazy hunts he was embarking in, destroying entire villages. That night, when the people were resting quietly, the prince razed everything that stood there. He burned all the houses, looking for the most powerful sorcerer. He killed many people until he found him, among them my parents. "

Elsa looked at her in surprise.

"But why was he looking for a sorcerer? What did he want?"

"I don't remember very well, I was just a teenage. Only a few words remained in my mind since then: _'When will she be born?'_".

"When will she be born?"

"Yes, he was asking the same question to all the village elders."

* * *

It had been several hours since Elsa and Agnes had separated from Merik and Kristoff. They were both sitting in one of the busiest taverns in the harbor, waiting for them.

The tavern was crowded with people at that time of day, many visitors had lunch there and then continued their tour of the city. The table where they were located was next to one of the windows that opened onto an alley. Many people passed near them, the voices of the crowd mingled in the atmosphere and gave a happy air to that part of the city. But the women remained silent, that morning had been full of confessions and the sadness of the memories still lingered. When the crowd began to empty the place sporadically, Merik and Kristoff appeared at the table where they were sited.

"Impossible!" Merik exclaimed taking a seat next to Agnes "Not a single sailor wants to take us to Romsdalen."

"There are very few who go to the island" commented Kristoff, who had sat next to Elsa "but none wants to take us, they are all cargo boats."

"Are we not cargo as well?" Agnes said with a half-smile on her face.

"Maybe you just didn’t have the female charm"

A strange voice made itself present behind them. The man at a table behind got up and approached smiling.

Tousled black hair swirled across his forehead as if swirled by the strongest of winds. His face was tanned from sea and salt. His light aquamarine eyes eagerly scanned the table where he sat without being invited.

"My name is Leif, master sailor from Heranal. I heard you wanted to get to Romsdalen. Maybe I can help you."

He looked like a young man, his skin hardened by the sun and the salty winds, gave truth to his presentation.

Elsa was the first to speak.

"In exchange for what, exactly?" the girl asked in all seriousness.

"Well…, could you show me a little of that feminine charm I was talking about" he replied with a wink.

"Hey! Watch what you say," Kristoff warned, frowning.

The sailor laughed "Don't worry, boy, my intentions are good" he said without taking his eyes off Elsa. "You should be able to recognize an impossible task when you see one, lad. Now tell us how you can help us" Merik said, amused by Elsa’s murdering face.

"Alright. I see that the men in this table have become a little overprotective" he said to Merik without erasing the smile on his lips "My next charge is for Kimma but I will have to go through Ezca first. If you don't mind being a little uncomfortable, I can take you there. Is not exactly your destination but close enough”

"How much will it cost us?" Elsa asked. It was very rare for a stranger to appear out of nowhere and give them the solution to their problems without wanting something in return.

"You are a very beautiful, you know that?" the sailor replied "I leave it to your conscience, just give me what you consider fair for my services."

"She will kill him before we arrive anywhere" Agnes said in an almost inaudible whisper in Merik's ear, the knight made a great effort to contain his laughter.

"I'll leave it up to you to work down de details. My ship is on the twelfth dock in the southern area. I’ll set sail at sunset"

And with that last comment, the sailor was gone.

"I don't think we should trust him" Elsa said, immediately after Leif had left the tavern.

"You’re right" Merik said thoughtfully, his gaze was unfocused when not looking at something in particular "But we don’t have many options. A great storm is coming and the last ships to set sail will do it this afternoon. If not, we will have to wait for the storm to subside, they are very strong at this time of year. "

"Such storms do not dissipate in days and can sink even the most powerful galleon" said Kristoff seriously. "I have seen many wrecked ships returning to port barely floating”

"Yes, we will have to go with him" Merik concluded "Don't worry, we will watch him so he doesn't come near you" he told Elsa, winking mischievously at her.

"Oh please!" the girl snorted, annoyed. "I know how to take care of myself"

"Fine" he agreed after a few moments

"The moment I see something strange... I’ll slice him in two!" proclaimed the smallest of the group.

Agnes and Merik exchanged amused glances.

* * *

The sailors tied their boats tightly to the different docks of the port. Everyone who would not leave that afternoon made sure to put their ship under cover.

Merik and Elsa led the small group along the pier the man had indicated.

After a few hours of deliberation, everyone had concluded to accept Leif’s offer, everything was strange, that much was true, but they didn’t have many options at hand. A captured queen was not an issue that could wait until a storm calmed down. The faster they reached Romsdalen, the better chance they had of returning with the queen safe and sound.

"Where did he say he was headed?" Agnes asked absentmindedly, her eyes narrowing as the coastal wind beat against her face. She looked like she was deeply enjoying that walk.

"Kimma" Merik replied, the knight looked attentively to both sides of the pier in search for Leif.

"Where is that place located?" the woman asked again.

"It is a small village of merchants" this time, it was Elsa who replied "It is north of the Romsdalen forest, about two days on foot."

"That's good, right? He can take us there, and we can walk the rest of the way" said Kristoff hopefully.

"It could be" said Merik, covering the boy's shoulder with his hand "But let's not hurry, remember that we must act cautiously in front of this man. I don't think he will, but if he asks why we want to go to Romsdalen, just answer that we are going to visit some friends. "

"Your story is not credible" Agnes said amused.

Merik turned to look at her as she passed him, humming a curious tune.

"Can you think of anything better, my lady?"

"We'll just tell him it's none of his business."

_Though I have a feeling he knows exactly the reason for our trip_, the sorceress thought, carelessly waving to the man beckoning to them from a nearby boat.

"There it is" she informed the rest, and went to meet him.

The others followed her.

"I thought you wouldn’t come" Leif greeted them when they approached his boat "I was about to lift the moorings."

"Yes, well, we had to consider it at length," Elsa said, looking around the boat with curiousity.


	6. An Island Away

Hans walked from one side of the royal chambers to the other, his long black velvet cape slipping behind his hurried steps. He was visibly nervous. He couldn’t understand how the girl had escaped the two demons he had sent to kill her. Hans knew he had to get her out of his way as soon as possible, she was becoming quite a nuisance.

Lost in his musings, the king of Duatros didn’t hear the soldier approaching to inform him of the situation. So far he had only listened to a messenger about the situation, but he wanted to hear the full story. It was simply impossible for a girl to have killed two Haegels.

"Sir..." the soldier who had been sent to supervise the demons began timidly.  
Hans turned abruptly at the sound that broke his precious silence. His gaze pierced that of the subject who trembled at the presence of his king.

"Begin" Hans ordered as he sat down on his throne.

As soldier related everything that had happened on his mission, Hans's face paled, and his features hardened as he expressed his discontent with the whole thing.

The girl wasn’t alone, and it wasn’t just common villagers. A sorceress and a knight were with her. Between the three of them they had killed two ice demons.

It bothered him that the girl survived, it was the second time that she escaped death. He never thought that the most pressing drawback he would encounter in his plan would be to kill a girl, however, sixteen years later, the brat was still walking in this world.

Now capturing her and taking her down had become a priority in his plans. He couldn’t allow her to reach the queen, otherwise everything it would be in vain. He had spent too many nights in hell to allow his plans to fail.

The soldier had retired a few moments earlier as Hans awaited for confirmation of Anna's departure. When her sister returned, she would order the extermination of the girl, she knew the princess would fulfill whatever mission he sent her to.

Although Hans would never recognize it, he was concerned. The girl was no longer alone. It would have been easier to kill her if there was no one around. The king was sure the sorceress and the knight were not just nomads wandering the hills and valleys of Vanaheim just to encounter the girl on a random day. There must be something special about them, something that set them apart from the rest.

But what worried him most was the boy. The soldier had informed him of a small boy, who had joined the group just the night he had planned the attack. And the girl seemed to be attaching to him.

All the elements were beginning to fall into place. Hans no longer had time for his plan to succeed, if his suspicions were correct there was only one guardian missing, after that it would only be a matter of time for them to see each other face to face.

* * *

Gørban Harbor was just a line of small spots on the horizon. Soon, the only thing the Millena crew would see would be the dark waters of the Great Sea.

Elsa enjoyed greatly the breeze that gently caressed her face, she was standing at the bow of the vessel. Merik and Leif chatted in a small aft tower, where the stirring oar was, while Agnes and Kristoff were walking on the boat deck. All cargo that had to be delivered to the port of Kimma was stored in ship's hold.

The Millena, an old birling vessel named after the goddess of the seas, calmly sailed the waters. The ship was almost fifty feet long and its wide rectangular sail stretched across its entire width. The pace of the boat continued serene as it moved away from the mainland and entered the vastness of the Great Sea.

It was the first time in a long time that Elsa had time to meditate on her affairs alone, but although she was a person who appreciated her space and silence, she found that the company of Merik, Agnes and Kristoff could become a comforting experience. As she analyzed her future actions, she heard footsteps approaching her; ss she turned, she found herself face to face with Leif, who was staring at her.

"Most women don't usually enjoy sailing, however you don't seem to have a problem."  
"Now you will tell me that I am not like most of the girls you know?" said Elsa, returning her sight to the horizon covered with sky and sea.

"Well it's the truth" Leif said, getting closer to her "Most of the women are not as beautiful as you are"

Far from feeling complimented or intimidated by the sailor, Elsa turned and laid her hands on the young man's muscular chest and with her most sweet and almost inaudible whisper, she replied:

"Most women couldn't throw you overboard with a sword through your belly, but I can"  
A small smile appeared on Leif's face that barely curved the corner of his mouth.  
"Tough girl, I like it" he commented under his breath as he took a step back and away from that deadly stare. The girl, without looking at him, went to the stern tower where Merik seemed to be steering the ship with visible enthusiasm.

Agnes and Kristoff were with him. The young woman crossed the polished oak deck of the Millena in a few steps, and joined them by the oar.

"I didn't know you knew how to steer a boat" she said to Merik, who remained stoic at his post.

"It’s not very difficult, I just have to follow the compass" he said, pointing to the brass circle that marked north "and the navigation chart" he pointed his index finger at a rolled parchment that must have the coordinates of how many islands were scattered in those waters.

"You are quite a sailor" Agnes observed, amused, patting his arm gently.

Merik smiled proudly as Leif returned to the aft to join the group.

"I hope you didn't find the hold too uncomfortable, I think with a couple of blankets you can sleep well. On hot nights, the deck is always a good place to spend the night."

"We will be fine, thanks" Agnes said kindly "Although the loading area is crowded with things, we will fit without problems."

Leif turned and with an irreverent smile addressed Elsa.

"If there isn't enough space, I can make you a place in my cabin."

The girl barely looked at him, she was determined to ignore his rude comments and knew that answering his provocations would only make matters worse.

"Come with me" Agnes said, taking her by the arm and dragging her back on deck. "I know you are suspicious of him, but you could hide it a little... maybe?"

"I can't, it's stronger than me" Elsa answered with a hint of amusement in her voice.

Agnes nodded smiling.

"I had promised to teach you magic, remember?" the woman told her, her eyes filled with an almost bluish glow.

"I remember," said Elsa enthusiastically. "When do we start?"

"Right now, if you wish."

* * *

The king of Duatros watched, from one of his main the watchtowers, the galleon that carried his sister and the squad of men he had sent to Ezca.

He knew that Anna would carry out his orders, but he wasn’t sure about her loyalties. Something deep inside himself told him that he couldn't trust her.

Since childhood, when the ancient king still ruled those vast lands and although there were many years between them, the differences between the two siblings had been remarkable. Gliont, his father, a king very loved by his people, had accentuated these differences. Hans was always very violent and his eagerness for power displeased the old king, while little Anna, always smiling like a ray of sunshine, never wanted to become too attached to her father's throne. They had both been raised as warriors, as was the custom in their realm, but the craving for violence was only rooted in the heart of the eldest of the siblings.

Hans had never been able to fully understand his sister, although he wasn't interested in knowing what she was thinking either. In his plans, The Princess of Duatros was expendable. Anything that took him away from absolute power was disposable for him, even if it was his own sister.

The cruelty with which Gliont's firstborn had been endowed surprised his father, even when it was too late to take action to prevent the downfall of his kingdom. When the old king became aware of the evil that moved his eldest son, he had already planned his death to gain the throne.

_It was a winter afternoon where the fog covered even the highest tower of the castle, located in the center of the city of Duatros. Gliont, prostrate in his chambers, was aware that the moment was approaching. He had sensed it for a long time, but he loved his son with all his heart and had tried to twist the course of his plans, but without success. The boy grew up blinded by an evil that could drown even the noblest of knights._

_The light from the royal chamber windows was scant and cast ominous shadows on the king's bed. When Gliont was about to fall into one of his deep dreams, Prince Hans entered the room._

_"It's about time you see your end" was the only thing he said before taking a pillow and approaching his father's bed._

_"I knew this would happen, boy, from the moment you were conceived. You are the fruit of the purest evil and you will bring nothing but misery to my beloved kingdom. Fulfill your mission at once. But I want you to know that your future is sealed”_

_It didn't take too much effort for the young man to suffocate the decrepit king._

_No one in court dared to discuss Hans's version of how his father had passed away and there were no traces of struggle, so the whole matter was forgotten. The entire kingdom mourned the beloved king for weeks._

But Anna had never believed her brother, her father had told her of his suspicions of Hans and made her promise that she would never walk the same path.

_"But what can I do, father?" the girl had begged, next to the king's bed "How can I stop him?"_

_"Don't stop him, it is already written that things have to take their course. But you must be vigilant, my dear girl, life will give you signs and when the time comes, you will know what your destiny is"_

* * *

The night was slowly falling as the Millena cut the waters with its smooth hull. Not receiving an encouraging response to his advances towards Elsa, Leif had taken refuge in the aft tower and watched everything that was happening on deck with evident curiosity.

Merik and Kristoff, sitting next to the mast, also watched with wonder and amazement what the girls were doing in the bow.

Agnes and Elsa were sitting facing each other, their eyes closed in a sign of maximum concentration. They were holding hands. Slowly Agnes opened her eyes, taking a detailed look at the image of the young woman in front of her.

"The main basis of magic is concentration" she had said moments before "Your mind must be calm and free of any distraction for your energy to flow in a positive way."

Elsa, without protest, had closed her eyes instantly. But she was restless, she moved in place constantly, so Agnes had taken her hands to help her.

Although Elsa had calmed down, the sorceress perceived much more of the contact with her new apprentice. It would be difficult, very difficult, to teach her magic. Not only must the mind be serene for the spell to come out correctly, the soul must also be as calm as the waters of a lake on a breezy day. And Elsa's soul was a whirlwind of repressed feelings that, in her opinion, would delay her learning.

"Open your eyes" Agnes said in a whisper "We will start."

Elsa blinked violently as she received the last rays of sunlight directly on her eyes, her blurred vision projecting a glowing aura on the woman who was watching her closely.

"We'll start with a simple spell, one you know," started Agnes who had suddenly started speaking with profound seriousness. "The _Krias Bren_ spell is a simple ball of energy, your energy. You just have to direct all the power you have in your body, concentrate it between your hands and push it with your arms" she said while mimicking her words.

"You make it sound easy" Elsa said, with a grimace that wanted to hide a slight smile.

"Actually, it is" she stated as she put her hands around something invisible.

It didn’t take long before a small sphere of bluish light began to vibrate between the sorceress's hands.

"But..., you haven't pronounced the spell."

"I don't need to."

The sphere began to grow rapidly, Agnes spread her hands further to keep the energy within them. The blue ball emanated light and heat, Elsa was tempted to touch it.

"I do not recommend it. It will send you off deck" Agnes warned, amused at the gesture of the young woman who was left with her hand halfway to touch the orb.

Elsa quickly lowered her hand, mentally holding back a curse.

As fast as it had appeared, the sphere vanished.

"It's your turn" Agnes pointed out.

"What? So soon?" the girl exclaimed, surprised.

"It will only be an attempt. Don’t think you will be able to do it the first time" the sorceress instigated with an air of mock sufficiency.

She knew that was exactly what Elsa needed to hear. Her pride would not allow her to fail.

Agnes's musings were correct, the words had barely left her lips, Elsa had furrowed her brow and immediately clasped her hands together, imitating the sorceress’ actions.

"Krias Bren" she pronounced loud and clear.

Nothing happened, the space between her hands was still empty. The girl's pride, self-sufficient as she was, was deeply wounded.

She adjusted her body again and resumed the position Agnes had shown her. After a few seconds of silence, she tried again.

"Krias Bren" she muttered.

The sorceress watched with a smile as a small ball materialized before her eyes. It was different from the one she had formed. Its light was clearer, it was no longer blue, but a whitish light blue that radiated cold.

“You seem to have an affinity for the cold” Agnes commented, surprised. “And you are losing a lot of energy” she warned. "Concentrate on the sphere increasing in size."

Elsa frowned even more. She felt the energy flowing throughout her body, accumulating in her chest and running through her arms, until it reached her hands, frost started to cover the tip of her fingers.

As the orb increased in size, Elsa began to feel how, little by little, the energy that was conserved in her chest decreased, she was feeling tired. The sphere had grown to the size of an orange when her forces completely abandoned her and the sphere in her hands unraveled in a blast wave so powerful that it pushed both women back, leaving them sprawled at each end of the deck.

None of the men watching the show spoke a word, it was all too startling to comment.

"You will have to learn to control your energy better if you don't want to take the boat apart while you practice" said Agnes, who had regained her usual sense of humor.

"Why didn't it happen to you?" Elsa asked puzzled and surprised by her own power.

"Because I've learned to dispose of my energy at will. You must surely feel tired. That's because you let the energy from your body escape when you lost control over the spell, and everything you had accumulated in the orb was lost in space.”

"Thanks for telling me that part of the information… after I tried" Elsa said, stressing the word after, but she couldn't quite hide her excitement at the task, albeit half done.

"Now rest a bit" Agnes advised the girl, who was still lying on the polished boards of the ship "When you recover, we will continue."

_This will hurt tomorrow_, Elsa thought smiling.

The young woman had barely recovered when Agnes started her magic classes again. Merik had given her some fruits so that the food would facilitate the return of her forces.

"You recover quickly" Agnes commented, not much later, when she sat down again in front of the girl.

"Did it seem quick to you?" the girl asked, still feeling her arms a little heavy.

"Yes, it takes days for many people to move their arms after the first try"

"Oh…, I'm glad to be alive then" no matter how hard she tried, sarcasm was as embedded in Elsa's vocabulary as her silences.

"Let's continue" Agnes said, without giving importance to the words of her young apprentice.

"Energy control will only be achieved with a lot of practice, so I'll teach you a new spell."

"The ball of fire?" Elsa asked excitedly.

"No, this time I will teach you about a healing spell."

"Oh" said the young woman, a bit disappointed, she wanted to learn how to cast spells on her enemies, not how to heal.

"I know what you’re thinking" Agnes commented, looking her in the eyes "But the essence of magic is not about learning to throw things at people. If you don't use magic for good, the balance in your body will be broken and the goodness that is in your heart can be seriously damaged"

"Again with the balance" she muttered under her breath.

"Everything is governed by power in constant balance. For there to be good, there must be evil, in equal proportions…, it’s a common theme in all parts of life, such as order and chaos, love and hate…"

Elsa watched Agnes in silence, there was a lot of truth in her words, but Elsa had a doubts deep in her heart.

"But... I..." the girl began hesitantly.

"Tell me."

"There are times when I just feel hatred."

The sorceress remained silent, she wanted the young woman to tell her what afflicted her soul.

"I hate my parents for abandoning me and myself for hating them, it's very confusing."

"I understand" the woman said softly, as she placed her hands on the girl's shoulder "Until you know your past, you will not be able to reconcile with your future. What about Kai? You came to love him, right? "

"Of course. He was my only family. But he's gone now"

"He will always be here. In everything he taught you, in every moment he lived with you and you keep in your memory. Every time you feel love and gratitude towards him, he will live… here."

Agnes placed her index finger on Elsa's chest.

"You can feel it, right? The energy coming from here?"

The young woman nodded.

"Well, that is the place from where you will get enough strength to be a great sorceress, and in that way, you will be able to use your magic for good."

Elsa nodded again. She didn't fully understand what Agnes was trying to explain to her but she knew that soon everything would be clearer.

"The Lag Ucrom Siéth is the spell I used to heal Merik's wounds, we just need a little water" she raised a small clay pot that contained the crystalline liquid "the basic function of this spell in particular, is to increase the healing power of the water with your own strength, so you can handle it without your fingers touching the liquid. Try it. "

Elsa stared at the container Agnes was holding in front of her and, trying to remember the words correctly, she tried.

"Lag Ucrom Siéth"

A small trickle of water rose from the container and stood motionless between the two women, floating.

"Now, bring your hand closer and try to guide him towards mine" Agnes said, offering her palm.

As she had said, Elsa obeyed. At first, the trickle of water snaked roughly at the approach of the girl's hand, but then she yielded to the sorceress’ control and it went placidly into the hand of Agnes, who was smiling widely.

"If my hand had been hurt, the water would have started to heal it instantly, but since you're still a beginner, it will surely take quite a long time to heal it completely."

Elsa nodded a again, amazed at the progress she had made in just one class.

"We will finish for today" Agnes said sitting up "The night is already upon us and you must rest, you have used a lot of your energy today"

"What happens if I continue?" the girl asked intrigued.

"If all the energy leaves your body you will not be able to move, or worse, you will die."

"I see" she acknowledged, admiring Agnes more and more each passing day, her power was incredible, after doing such a powerful spell, like the ones she had seen her do, she didn’t look tired at all.

She stood up too, although much more slowly than her teacher, her arms and legs were slow to respond. But what Elsa was sure of was that she would put a lot of effort into overcoming herself. She sensed that magic would be very important in her future.

* * *

Skadi watched night fall from his cabin. The captain of the Vanaheim flagship, had plotted the safest route to Ezca first, then to the closest port to arrive to Duatros. The map of the waters of the Great Sea rested placidly on a table, almost forgotten.

The men the king had sent to rescue the queen had been sailing for three days now. In just a couple more they would reach the legendary island of Ezca.

Many stories were told about this island. It was said that in ancient times, it was the home of the Soul of the World, and that from there, it created the other lands. Skadi recalled the fables that his mother used to tell him on the long nights when his father was in some military endeavor for the ancient kings.

She used to tell him that they were all descendants of that god that inhabited Ezca. She told him that one day, tired of being alone in his enormous palace that reached to the clouds, he created two semi-gods to be his children, Alen and Vanir. When the children grew up, they fell in love with two beautiful women who lived in the only village that existed in the world, at the foot of his father's castle.

Both married and had beautiful children, but the island was too small for both families and they began to dispute the territory. The Soul of the World, with all its wisdom, created two enormous continents, one for each, with a single unbreakable order: Whoever breaks the balance that he had instituted, will condemn his entire family to the most terrible of curses. Thus, he ensured that his children ruled the world in peace.

Everyone knew that this was how the kingdoms of Vanaheim and Duatros had been created, but Skadi still could not understand how that curse his mother had spoken about, had not yet fallen on Hans and his only direct relative, his younger sister, Princess Anna.

Since Hans had sought to conquer Vanaheim, many people from both kingdoms had found death unnecessarily.

_Wars are useless, _Skadi thought, laughing at the irony of his words as he stared at the reflection in the window and the medals displaying his rank within the kingdom's army.

Now there was no going back, Hans would not give up on his plans and he, as commander of the Knights of Vanaheim, would do everything in his power to stop him.

Eirik was an ignorant and simple minded being, he just wanted the power and gold that his crown gave him. Skadi could not trust his king to end this conflict. But he would follow his orders because there was nothing else he could do. Silje was a kind queen, she cared for the people Eirik neglected, the kings always preferring to do business with pirates and ruffians instead of the honest people in his kingdom. But she could not do much, her husband watched closely and didn’t allow her to waste, as he once heard him say, the gold of the kingdom in matters of no importance.

Skadi hit the glass in front of him hard, at the risk of breaking it.

He felt helpless in the face of all the things that were happening, he just hoped it would all be over soon.

* * *

The Millena was plunged into deep silence, the darkness of the night had covered the blue sky several hours ago. Merik had offered to take turns sailing the birling, but Leif had refused, arguing that he liked to sail at night. Thus, Merik, Elsa, Agnes and Kristoff, descended to the hold area to rest.

It had not been long, it seemed to Elsa that she had closed her eyes just a few moments ago, when the absence of little Kristoff woke her up. She looked around but only Merik and Agnes were there. She covered herself with her cloak and went up on deck to look for him.

"Doing night walks?" Leif asked when he saw her peek through the deck hatch.

Elsa looked at him askance, the man hoisted the main sail.

That night, the wind seemed to have taken a break and the boat needed all the breeze it could get to hasten its march.

"I'm looking for Kristoff, have you seen him?" Asked the young woman as kindly as she could, she would follow Agnes's advice and try to smooth things over with the sailor.

Leif smiled broadly at the change in the girl's attitude.

"I see that at night you’re easy to talk to" he said as he approached her, surrounding her with his strong arms "I like it when it that way"

"Stay away" Elsa warned, pushing him back. "I’m just trying to be nice to you. How do you want us to live peacefully if you’re like this?"

Elsa was visibly obfuscated, Leif backed away almost immediately, he had seen what the girl could do and he didn't want to be in her way if things got more violent.

"Okay, I'm sorry" he said without much conviction in his words "The little one is over there."

The sailor pointed to a shadow that was drawn against the reflection of the full moon, perched just in front of the bow.

"What's going on?" Elsa said softly as she approached the boy.

"It's just..., it's the first time I'm so far from the forest."

"Did you always live there?"

"My parents had a shack in the northern part of the forest."

Elsa listened to him in silence. Watching him lying there so small and helpless. Elsa hesitated a few moments but then made up her mind and wrapped her arms tightly around him.

Kristoff turned and buried his face in the girl's chest.

They were like this for a long time.

Slowly, the little boy loosened his embrace.

"Tell me" Elsa said sweetly, as she had never spoken to anyone. "What happened to your parents?"

Kristoff looked down.

"One morning, my father went hunting with my brother, Nolah. I stayed with my mother, I helped her take care of the vegetables in the garden. When my father and Nolah returned, they were not alone, some Duatros soldiers came with them. Nolah was badly wounded, those soldiers had forced them to tell them where we lived. When Mom saw them arrive she asked me to run and hide in the forest. I obeyed. When night fell I returned, but there was no one there. I waited several days but none returned, the soldiers had taken them away. "

Listening to Kristoff's story, Elsa's heart clenched in pain, she hugged him as tightly as she could and in her arms, the little one started to cry.

The young woman even allowed herself a couple of tears that rolled silently framing her face.

"I don't know... what those soldiers were doing there" Kristoff said between sobs.

"A couple of years ago, Hans sent his men to try to take Gørban, he took the whole kingdom by surprise. When the king reacted, he expelled the soldiers with the knights from Vanaheim, but it was too late. Hans had wreaked havoc everywhere. That was the start of the war" she explained.

Kristoff nodded, his face soaked with tears.

"When... your parents didn't come back... what did you do?" the girl asked, she needed to know more about him.

"I went to look for food in the forest, I was hungry, but Nolah had taught me how to hunt. After a few days, the group of bandits… the ones the knights were looking for when you cought me, remember? They taught me to steal and I stayed with them. "

The boy paused for a long time.

"I went with them… I didn't want to be alone"


	7. The Prophecy

Anna watched closely as her men set up camp. They had reached the island of Ezca but decided to moor at the uninhabited end of it, on the northeast coast. Once she was sure no one noticed their presence, hidden by the tall redwoods that covered the hills, they settled. The princess watched as the junior soldiers prepared the tents, her own being in the center of the camp was the first to be ready. The girl had given a simple order and almost all the warrior battalion that was under her command obeyed immediately, that filled her with pleasure but at the same time, she hated it. When she wielded her power she felt like her brother, and it was something that the young heir of Duatros didn’t want to get used to. By the early afternoon, the camp was ready.

Anna prepared the ambush the Vanaheim knights would suffer the next morning. She and her lieutenant, Darius, a rough and brave man in whom she blindly trusted, were sitting on an old log just at the entrance to the princess's tent, from there she watched her men and the preparations for the ambush.

Everything was ready for the next morning, they would attack the enemy galleon in the first light of dawn, when its crew was still asleep and unprepared.

"Have the men ready, When I give the order we will leave for the village" Anna said firmly, the lieutenant nodded and with a bow he set course for a group of warriors who had gathered by a fire nearby. The campfire was not necessary since the sun was still shining on them, but they had to cook their food before night fell. Otherwise, the darkness the night brought would reveal their position.

"Wait," said the princess, stopping the man she had just dismissed, "I want a guard around the camp, to prevent any intruder from finding us. Take a Haegl too" the man nodded and then bowed.

Anna watched as one of her soldiers got up and, with some resistance, approached the waiting demon. She had taken two of those monster by request of her brother and now the things waited for her orders in the darkest part of the forest.

The monster received the order of the soldier but didn’t move.

"Go!" Anna had got up and shouted at the top of her lungs. The beast finally stood up and followed the soldier it would patrol with.

The princess sat back down, deliberately taking her eyes off the creature and trying not to shiver. She didn’t like having them around, they radiated evil in their purest state and their savagery was uncontrollable.

Furthermore, she was not a warrior like the others, she had learned to fight to defend herself and she had killed out of necessity, because it was her obligation and because her father had asked her to. Gliont, before falling prostrate on his bed after struggling with his old age, had asked her to perfect her combat techniques, he assured her that they would be of great help in the future. The old king was right.

Day after day, Anna used her sword and let blood flow through her blade. In a few hours, the killing would begin again and the young woman would be part of it. She felt empty, like something was missing but she had no idea what that could be.

* * *

Three days had passed since the Millena had sailed from Gørban, in the distance was the small port of Ezca, surrounded by a tiny and picturesque village. The port seemed to be convulsed, many people moved from one side to another, carrying things.

When they got closer they could see a huge galleon, in its sails was painted the powerful lions of the Vanaheim shield. A large group of men carried heavy wooden boxes and numerous bags full of groceries. The belly of the ship seemed to swallow everything the crew put inside of the ship.

"It seems that the good man Eirik decided to rescue his wife" Merik said, sitting next to Elsa in the stern of the barge, looking towards the port.

"Then we don't have much time, we have to get there first," Elsa said.

"That's right, we should only be in Ezca for one day."

"Our bags are ready" Agnes had joined them after leaving the hold, Kristoff walked behind her.

"We’ll be here only one day?" the little boy asked, overhearing the conversation.

"That's right, boy" Merik answered, slapping the boy so hard on the back that he almost knocked him over.

The Millena anchored in the Ezca dock lost in the tumult of people caring for the Vanaheim Galleon. It wasn’t difficult to find a place to moor, there were few boats that ventured too far from the mainland and in those remote islands. In times of war, everyone preferred to be close to home.

"Go find a place to have lunch" Leif told them when the rest of the crew had left the ship. "I will take care of unloading my products and will join you as soon as I can."

The group accepted the proposal. Elsa was relieved, at least she would go a few hours without the constant harassment of the sailor who during the trip had been extremely annoying.

The group walked the main street of the town, their houses were adorned with flowers of all colors on the windows and on the sides of the doors.

The port had already been left behind when they spotted a small inn. It had a couple of tables outside, next to the cobbled street and its interior was lit by two large windows. At the counter was a slender woman who ran the place. A couple of people, large men, were occupying chairs inside. Merik preferred a place outside the premises, the rest accompanied him. There they would wait for Leif.

The four remained silent, the food they served in that place was delicious, so they concentrated entirely on it.

A lush forest surrounded the village at its northern end, its sounds and smells inundated the village and gave the town an air of tranquility that seemed almost unreal.

The sun was shining overhead but the sea breeze kept the freshness of the environment that became very warm, about to bring them to a sleepy state.

"I hope you enjoyed the food" Ani, owner of the place, began to collect the plates while Merik deposited some gold coins on the polished table.

"Your food is very tasty" said Kristoff, who had leaned his head on Elsa's arm.

"The little one is about to fall asleep" the woman smiled. "Why don't you take a walk to shake your sleep?"

"It's not a bad idea, Kristoff" Agnes commented "Take a walk around the town."

"I will go to the forest!" said the boy, suddenly full of energy "My mother told me that there is a huge castle there."

The little boy suddenly sat up and ran towards the grove.

"I'll be back in the evening" he shouted from afar.

"Wait, it's dangerous to…" Elsa tried to tell him, but the little one was already too far away to hear her.

"Don't be overprotective, he will be fine" Merik said smiling at the figure of the boy who was running in the distance.

"But those are just old fables, he can get lost… there are no castles in that forest" the young woman reproached, crossing her arms in protest.

"Friend, you are getting older" the sorceress concluded amused while gently hitting the girl's arm "Don't worry, we will go look for him."

"Alright" agreed the knight, resigned "But we must separate. If any of us find the urchin, will return and we will meet here."

"What about Leif?" Agnes asked.

"I'll let him know before going to the forest" said the blacksmith, heading back to the port "I'm going to give the boy some advantage to make it more fun."

Elsa snorted at the knight’s indifference.

"I won’t give him any advantage" she announced to Agnes and left in search of Kristoff. She had a strange feeling that there was something waiting in that forest, and a mixture of equal parts of anxiety and expectation.

The young woman didn’t think that the boy was so fast, however, he had slipped away with great skill.

Little by little, she entered the forest, which although well lit, was lush and with uneven terrain, so she had to walk carefully.

Elsa walked for several minutes without being able to see the little boy in any nook where she looked for him. The green grass that had recently begun to grow, covered the ground of the grove and climbed some of the tall trees that stood tall and proud in the middle of the forest. The fresh air smelled of honeysuckle, and flowers grew everywhere. Elsa went into the thicket of forest almost without realizing it. Soon, the young woman who had followed a narrow path when entering the grove, lost all reference course and continued walking without a guide.

Every place she looked at seemed to convey a sense of peace that, in a way, made her uncomfortable, although she was used to peace, the place had an eerie feeling.

She had lost track of how long she had been wandering around when a dark figure moved in the distance. Elsa quickly turned in that direction, but there was no one there. She took a couple more steps and out of the corner of her eye saw branches moving in the same direction.

She stopped, straining her ear to the maximum and waited.

The terrain was unfamiliar so she was at a disadvantage. She tried not to make noise so as not to be discovered.

A few moments passed where only the normal noise of the forest reached her ears. Thinking that the movement had been caused by an animal she continued her search. Kristoff couldn't be far from there.

It wasn't long before Elsa stopped her march again.

This time, her body became alert. Something was different.

The air reaching her lungs became dense and cold. She knew that feeling, that tightness in her chest and the cold that chilled her bones. One of the beasts of hell was nearby.

She remained motionless without knowing what to do. She wanted to face the creature, defeat it, but it was too strong for her. She knew she should run away from the creature but she wasn’t a coward.

A strange movement produced a rustle of branches to her right, the earth trembled. When she had the courage to look in that direction, she saw the Haegl approaching her. Her step was slow but she took long strides, if she didn't move she was lost.

She started running, although she wanted to stay and fight, she knew that she couldn’t do it alone, not in a one on one combat.

Almost without looking where she was going, the young woman tried to lose her pursuer.

She didn't know how far she had run but the cold in her chest began to lessen. Thinking she had evaded it she looked back and the ground beneath his feet shook. Suddenly, the surface where the girl was gave way and Elsa fell. She reached out to make out a brushstroke of green leaves pass in front of her. Then darkness.

* * *

Anna was cleaning and sharpening her sword, getting it ready for the impending battle; she didn’t like to leave anything to chance. She had even brought the best blacksmith in the kingdom in case one of her warriors needed a repair.

Her armor was in good condition, although it no longer shined. Since her brother had been crowned king, everything that was once a shiny silver or gold was now a dull black or grey.

Anna remembered with sadness her father’s armor. She still kept it in her room, hidden from Hans. When the Gliont passed away, everything that reminded him of the king was removed from the castle by the new king of Duatros.

But she had managed to keep that memory. His breastplate, carefully carved with fine touches of gold reminded her of his father's greatness and made her long for a better future for her beloved kingdom.

As the girl wandered through old memories and impossible dreams, the guard she had sent out on patrol arrived with news for her commander.

The lieutenant had not finished hearing the soldier's account when he went in search of Anna.

"You Highness" he said hastily, "The guard has seen a girl in the woods."

"A girl?" the redhead exclaimed, snapping back to reality "Did she see the camp?"

"I don't think so, a Haegl is following her"

"Fine" said the young woman in a hurry "You are in charge of the camp, I will go and look for that girl."

"But… you Highness…"

"Don't question me" he said coldly "I will personally take care of it"

Anna sheathed her sword and hurried into the woods knowing that if the beast got the girl, it would surely kill her. She didn't want more innocent blood to be spilled because of her, she already had enough with the carnage she had to unleash the next morning.

The image of the Haegl tearing up the little girl rushed through her mind, she hurried hier steps.

* * *

His knights should already be in Ezca, it was a matter of days before they reached Duatros, but the lack of news had the king of Vanaheim on edge.

For the first time in a long time since his plan had been launched, Eirik was afraid. He never thought that Silje and his son will mean so much to him.

He walked from one side of the castle to the other, visibly nervous. From the beginning it seemed strange to him that Hans accepted so easily the truce and the treat that he had proposed. But he didn’t care, he had to get the girl out of his way and from his throne.

A few days ago, Eylack had confirmed that Leif had intercepted her and was taking her to Duatros.

The king stopped for a few moments in front of the huge window that illuminated one of the corridors of the castle and showed him the evening sky that covered his kingdom.

His thoughts lingered on the figure of the sorcerer. Eirik had many doubts about that old man. Apparently, he enjoyed great vitality that was not reflected in his decrepit face, the thick disheveled beard he wore covered the deep cracks that furrowed his skin.

He had never seen him in the sunlight, they always met in the shadows or covered by the darkness of the night. To the king, this secrecy of their encounters was a good measure so no one would find out about their plans but over time it began to seem suspicious. He knew that Eylack had hidden powers that made him a great messenger and spy and he used them to further his victories. His loyalties on the other hand...

He never gave the king too much information, he seemed to always be hiding something.

The king shrugged his suspicions away, as long as he kept the girl away from his castle, everything would be fine.

* * *

Elsa opened her eyes slowly. Everything around her was tinged with darkness. At the top, a small hole illuminated the place where she was laying.

She tried to sit up, her entire body resisting the movement. She seemed to have fallen from a great height, probably from the hollow of light that illuminated it from above.

When she was finally able to sit down, she looked around. Darkness. Elsa wanted to stand up but a stabbing pain attacked her hand and wrist.

"Damn it" she murmured, realizing that she had unconsciously cushioned the fall with the arm that now hurt terribly.

When her eyes adjusted to the lack of light she saw that she was in some kind of cave. Glancing up, she assessed the hole was too high and with her arm in such conditions it would be impossible for her to climb through there.

The young woman contemplated her possibilities. It would be silly to try to get to the surface where from where she fell, so her only option was to choose one of the openings that the cave offered her.

Approaching the two tunnels in front of her, she heard the bubbling noise of flowing water. It would surely be an underground river and all flowing water must have an outlet to flow into, Elsa thought, a little more optimistic than at first. Being trapped in a cave, with very little chance of being rescued, was a bleak future. Although this time someone would worry about her, the fact of having to be rescued put her in a very bad mood.

As she walked down the narrow passageway where the sound of the water was louder, more parts of her body became sore.

The young woman increased her speed, finding a little water would not only guide her to the exit, but it would be a perfect opportunity to practice the healing enchantment that Agnes had taught her. She had come a long way in magic since her journey across the Great Sea had begun. She controlled her energy very well so the sorceress had taught her a few more spells. She was very pleased with herself, but until she could use them in a real situation, she couldn't calculate her effectiveness as an apprentice. Now she would see the true extent of her powers.

A musty scent filled the rocky corridor through which she walked, she was already very close to the water stream.

The narrow cavern projected the echo of Elsa's steps, its walls shining thanks to the crystals embedded in it, favored by the number of holes scattered everywhere that allowed the entry of small beams of light from the surface. That island had true natural beauties.

She didn't have to walk far, the cave led her directly to a wide limestone vault. A narrow stream ran through the wide hall and was lost after a curve in the corridor. The water fell in the form of a small waterfall from a tunnel at the top of the cavern. A passageway that the crystalline liquid had forged for thousands of years, making its way through the rock formations.

The young woman sat on a rock by the stream and spoke the words now so common to her.

"Lag Ucrom Siéth"

A fine transparent thread was drawn from the flow that flowed freely alongside her, and it went placidly to her hand. Her skillful fingers played with it for a few moments.

Now she could control it at will, magic had become something fun for her. The trickle moved playfully until a twinge in her wrist reminded her of the spell's function. She brought the meandering liquid closer to the place where the strongest pain resided and began to feel how the freshness of the water calmed the discomfort. The ailment disappeared after a few moments.

She remembered the first time she used that spell on someone else. Having fished the dinner Leif, rather stupidly in her opinion, cut off his hand wanting to clean the sturgeon that he had so proudly obtained. Elsa thought that Agnes would take care of the healing, but the sorceress had asked her to do it, as a good chance to practice. Elsa couldn't remember exactly what had been more uncomfortable, her lack of ability to heal Leif's hand quickly, or the fact that the sailor couldn't keep his other hand away from her. The relief she felt at the end of her task must have been reflected on her face too much because everyone tried to hide their smiles without much success.

When she was about to start to walk again to find a way out, a golden shimmer caught the young woman's attention. It came from the center of the stream. The torrent of water was no more than three steps wide and its waters were shallow so as she got closer she clearly saw a gold tablet resting at the bottom. Little was the effort she made to take it out, it seemed very old. Its edges smooth and its surface was covered in runes, Kai had once told her about it, something about the language of the gods.

Elsa turned the tablet over. Although it was thin, its weight was remarkable, but what surprised her most was the inscription she found when she turned it over.

What at first seemed like a smooth surface, little by little, as if an invisible hand were engraving them with fire, a series of words appeared.

** _"I have placed on this earth two parts of myself, they will proliferate among you and bless humanity. I have divided them into two and in their hearts the seed of complete and eternal life will lie, but when that seed bears the fruits of hatred and evil, the most intense anger of the creator will be unleashed.  
_ ** ** _Whoever dares to disrupt the forces that govern this world will have a cursed life. They will walk on earth during the day and fight for their life, in hell, at night. If the offender's actions do not desist with this punishment, then I will send my most powerful weapon: The chosen one that will restore the balance that I myself have imposed. The child will be born the day the sun has taken longer to hide, bathed in moonlight. Four guardians will forge their destiny. The child will receive power, justice, goodness and love; and in this way, my weapon will be complete. "_ **

** **

Elsa read these words carefully, they didn't make much sense to her. She put the tablet between the folds of her cloak and continued on her way. Her mind was still on the carved words she had just read when she circled the first curve, following the flow of water. In the distance a small light could be seen, the exit was close.

As she crossed the opening, the intense outside light blinded her for a few moments. The small stream flowed into a beautiful pond, surrounded by trees in a forest clearing.

She hoped she hadn't strayed too far from the village, the monster was still around somewhere, the forest was not safe. She remembered the golden tablet she had found and reached in her cloak to read it once more but it was no longer there.

Elsa went back a few steps to see if she had dropped it. Nothing.

Deciding that keep looking for Kristoff was a more pressing matter, she tried to find some reference in the forest to guide her to find the whereabouts of the child.


	8. Fate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And they finally meet!

Anna hastened her steps further. A few moments ago she had run into the Haegl and sent it back to camp. Now, it only remained to find the girl, she shouldn’t be very far from there. The redhead came to a clearing where the vegetation covered a couple of stones large enough to rest on so she sat. She hated to think that the little girl could be dead, coursing herself for sending that beast on patrol.

Suddenly, she spotted a female figure walking in the distance.

_The girl?_ The princess thought, bewildered. _She’s heading towards the camp_.

She set out to meet that person, somehow that girl had managed to escape from the Haegl but if she followed that route and encounter hem men, her fate would be worse.

"Hey, you" she pronounced in a strong and clear voice. The girl stopped, as if that voice had frozen her. Anna slowly approached her. She was a girl, probably around the same age as the Princess, she was not a little girl.

Anna placed her hand on the hilt of his sword, and unsheathed it gently. The whistle that the metal produced provoked the reaction of the young woman who until then had her back towards the Princess. With an agile and swift movement, the girl unsheathed her own sword and turned to face the warrior. Anna, being in front had an advantage and with a simple brandishing of her blade, she removed the girl's weapon from her small hand. Elsa, far from giving up, attempted to hit the face of attacker but the redheaded woman stopped it with her free hand.

"Wait" said Anna, as candidly as she could.

The blond girl tried to free herself from her grasp so the Princess pinned her against the nearest tree and put the edge of her sword against her neck.

"Don’t fight me, I won't hurt you."

Elsa didn’t lower her gaze, she continued with her head held high, defiant. The princess had never met such a young woman before. Without realizing it, she had lost herself in the blue gaze of a stranger. Her body didn't respond, her heart felt like she was about to lose control and all because of this girl who didn't seem to want to give up. She looked like a fighter and a strong one, but her angelic face had left her speechless. Her eyes was captivating. Slowly, Anna moved her sword away from the pale neck of that girl, however, she didn’t move back. Something was holding her there.

With her sword already forgotten, she released it from her hand and the blade sank into the dirt beside her. The princess moved closer to the girl, their faces only inches away.

"Who are you?" she whispered, her breath caressing Elsa's ear. The blonde visibly shuddered but didn’t answered. "You are in my territory… you shouldn’t be wandering around here"

The Princess' breathing had become noticeably shaky. The girl's scent reminded her of fresh sea breezes and lilacs from the forest she used to play while growing up… and something more deep and vital. Unintentionally, she ran her tongue over her parched lips. The blue eyes of her captive followed the movement as she visibly swallowed.

The atmosphere between them had become dense and charged with something neither of them could identify. Something that prevented them from moving and returning to reality, something that kept them tied to each other and the moment they were living, as if they needed the proximity of the other to continue breathing.

For the second time that day, they both heard footsteps working their way through the forest vegetation.

Reluctantly, Anna turned away from the blonde, taking up her sword again.

"Go back to the port and if you can, leave the island immediately" she said quietly, as if trying not to break the spell she had fallen into. A spell that painted her dark world with colors she had never imagined she could reach.

The sound was heard again and Elsa seize the opportunity to flee the scene, her silhouette disappearing among the trees.

Anna took a deep breath as she saw her lieutenant approaching, waving at her.

"Did you find her, you highness?"

The young woman looked at the tree where she held the young woman, her presence still lingered in the air and Anna felt it in her bones.

"No" she said finally, turning to the approaching warrior, "She's probably already gone"

"Isn't that going to be a problem for our plan?"

"I don't think so" replied the princess "No one will believe what a little girl says"

* * *

Elsa left the forest almost without realizing it. What had just happened to her had too many inexplicable things to assimilate in one attempt.

First, the cave and that strange golden tablet that had disappeared and then… that woman.

The intense teal eyes were embedded in her mind like a foot print she could never erase. She didn’t even know how long they had been like that, motionless, looking at each other. Long enough for Elsa to notices her copper hair and long eyelashes, the sound of her voice and the faint scars in her face, the many freckles that abounded on her face and that little scar on the right side of her lip that she noticed when she had run her tongue over it.

Surely, she must be a soldier of Duatros, her armor confirmed her so. But why hadn't she killed her? The warrior was very skilled, she had caught her off guard and was fast enough to drown her blade in Elsa’s neck effortlessly.

Then another warrior appeared looking, for her and the young woman had inexplicably let her go. In the distance, she heard how the redhead deliberately lied to protect her escape.

"Elsa!" she heard a voice calling her. There she understood that she had reached the village of Ezca again and saw Agnes was calling her with her hand. Kristoff was next to her.

"Where have you been?" the girl grumbled with a frown but without much seriousness in her words.

"I went to the forest" said the boy "But I got bored and I came back. On the way back I found Agnes."

"Oh you find the forest boring" she said puzzled "Well…, If you say so. Where's Merik?"

"He's in the tavern talking to Ani" Agnes commented as if passing, but there was a certain tone of annoyance in her voice.

Elsa barely noticed it, she would talk to her later. At the time she had more important things to worry about. She went to the small inn where they had had lunch, there she found the knight, chatting animatedly at the bar.

"Merik, can I speak to you?"

He, seeing the seriousness on the girl's face, followed her.

"What's going on?"

"I saw Duatros warriors, I’m sure there are more. They are hidden in the forest."

Merik's face went from serenity to concern, quickly.

"They come for the Vanaheim Knights, they will prevent them from reaching Duatros. I should’ve seen that coming"

He turned quickly into the tavern and said something to Ani in her ear. When he returned, Agnes glowered at him.

"I told her to hide and close the tavern" said the knight as an excuse "She will warn the rest of the village. We must leave immediately."

"You won’t warn the Vanaheim vessel?" Elsa asked.

"Even if I told them, they wouldn’t believe me. I was banished from the kingdom, I lost all respect that they could have in me"

Without further explanation, Merik led the rest of the group to the docks, where Leif had finished unloading the part of the merchandise that would remain on the island. The knight hastened to explain the situation to him.

"We must get out of here" he said to the sailor seriously "If your final destination is in Kimma, I ask you to take us there. This will be a massacre."

Leif accepted without questioning, he knew it wasn’t in his best interest to be on that island when the knights of both kingdoms met. Also, his mission was simple, he had to take the girl to Duatros, he didn’t care what happened to rest.

The Millena zigzagged between some fishing boats that were returning to the island and began to move inexorably away from Ezca. The longest portion of the journey awaited ahead. If the winds favored them, the ship would have to sail for the next five days.

* * *

"Princess Anna has already set up camp at Ezca, my lord" Eylack's voice echoed off the walls of the royal hall.

Hans was sitting on his throne, which was silhouetted as a shadow by the large windows behind him. The afternoon had begun to fall and the king of Duatros had called the sorcerer to find out about his sister.

Years ago, he had spared the warlock’s life when he found him trying to rob him. From then on, Eylack belonged to Hans, although at that time he didn’t know how valuable it would be to his plans. The warlock possessed unique abilities. It was believed to be the last of its kind.

Eylack was a Nigrican, a spawn of shadows. He could travel among the shadows of the world and could appear wherever he wanted. It was his best source of information despite the fact that the events take place in places far from his castle.

"Let's hope she does her job effectively" he commented, referring to his sister. "Now, tell me where the girl is"

"She’s sailing to Kimma as we speak, in a small vessel belonging to a sailor named Leif”

"Did Eirik hire that mercenary?"

"So it seems, sir. In five days she will be arriving at our kingdom."

"Good. I don't think it will happen, but if she can get into this castle, I want you to set some traps to separate her from Silje."

"Right away, master" Eylack bowed deeply and withdrew.

Once outside the royal hall, the sorcerer gave a devilish smile. At last he would have a chance to deploy his powers.

From among the fabrics of his robes he took out a heavy book. It looked very old, lined in black leather and strange symbols adorning its lids.

It was the last book of its kind left in the world. Not even Hans knew of its existence. It had been passed from generation to generation and he, being the only living Nigrican, treasured it enormously. It had been a long time since he had used it, there was no point in using it while practicing such simple magic. But this time, the Grimoire would be of great help to him.

He opened the tattered yellowed pages, the same symbols that were stamped on the outside, were scattered inside, it seemed a chaos of words that had no specific order. However, Eylack seemed to understand it and read it with perverse delight.

* * *

Eirik had woken up from a horrendous nightmare, his sweaty body was attacked by tremors from head to toes. He got up alarmed and washed his face with the water that the servants had left there. It was cold. More chills ran through his body as the liquid touched his skin. Despair washed over him.

In the dream, his wife was brutally murdered by Hans, the queen's blood stained Eirik's clothes, and he could do nothing to prevent it.

He went to the window and drew the heavy curtains, a whitish light flooded the room, it was just dawn and thick gray clouds covered the sky.

He raised his hand in terror, afraid to see Silje's blood on them. He only noticed the paleness of his skin bathed in the dim light and sighed deeply. The incoming air caused his chest to swell painfully. His legs trembled and he had to drop himself into a nearby chair.

He remembered his youth, when he met Silje.

The old kings of Vanaheim paid a visit to the countryside. His father, a great landowner from the area, received them at his home. King Agnar had entered with his eldest daughter arm in arm. Their parents greeted them warmly. The king apologized for the absence of his wife, Iduna had just given birth to her youngest daughter and was still too weak to travel.

"Iduna wanted to travel with us" Agnar had informed them "But the matron advised her to stay in bed. Our daughter Silje came in her place."

Eirik had immediately fallen in love with the young girl who was barely fifteen years old. But not only the beauty of the girl had captivated him, but the possibility of accessing the throne that he and his father always longed for.

It wasn’t difficult for the eighteen-year-old boy to woo the girl and when she turned eighteen, Eirik obtained King Agnar’s blessing to propose. The throne was already his.

He didn’t planed for it to be a long engagement period, the wedding was already being prepared, when the King and Queen made an announcement to the entire kingdom. The youngest of their daughters had been named the legitimate heir to the Vanaheim throne.

Eirik would no longer become king.

He remembered how furious he had been at the time. Anger had run through his veins for days until the perfect solution came to his mind.

And so it came to be that, without too much trouble, he got rid of the heiress. Only Silje was left to claim the throne and he could be the ruler of Vanaheim.

At least that's what he thought, just a month ago, a strange warlock had appeared in his court wanting to talk to the king about the true heir to the throne. Eirik had ushered him into one of his private rooms and, horrified, had heard the words he was most afraid to hear.

The girl was alive.

Somehow the brat had managed to survive all these years.

If the fact that she was still alive got out, the whole truth could be known and the people would take the throne from him. Just now that Silje had finally managed to give him his own heir so his blood could remain ruling Vanaheim.

Swiftly, it passed through his mind every night that he had yelled at his wife for not being able to conceive a child for him, and now that he had managed to keep the throne within his family, this girl appeared out of nowhere to ruin everything.

He had to do something unthinkable for him. He had delegated the task of murdering her to his worst enemy. It was the only way nobody wouldn't find out.

Incredibly, Hans had gladly accepted. He would close the deal for some land without resources of no use for Vanaheim wealth and Eirik would keep his kingdom. He just needed to lure the girl out of her forest and what better prey for a bounty hunter than the Queen of Vanaheim.

* * *

Eylack was sitting in a comfortable armchair, in a corner of his room, inside one of the castle’s tower, he had everything he wanted there. He was useful to Hans so his wishes were frequently fulfilled without hesitation.

The nights were his favorite time to perform magic, protected by the shadows he became more powerful. And on that particular night, the Nigrican had been very busy. The Grimoire lay open in his lap, dark passages were inscribed on it.

The warlock had had fun with Eirik for a little while, it was good practice for him, it had been a long time since he had used the spell that summoned nightmares. Although Hans had asked him to only set traps throughout the castle, he thought it would be a good idea to annoy his lord's enemies a bit before the moment of reckoning came.

He experimented with the King of Vanaheim until he mastered the spell perfectly. Now, when the night was driven away by sunlight, he would focus on his most important goals.

He took the Grimoire again and held it tight. The letters printed there began to move and changed location in a turbulent swirl.

In Eylack's room, which was completely closed, a slight breeze began to rise, intensifying with every moment, shaking the pages of the book. The Grimoire began to tremble in the warlock’s hands and its letters burned red hot. He closed his eyes, his lips moved but no sound came from his mouth. A luminous circle formed around the chair where high flames violently arose. A group of shadows danced nimbly around the chair, shielding the warlock from the powerful flames that surrounded him.

After a few seconds the Eylack opened his eyes and his completely white orbs observed the room. He moved his lips again. The flames gained height and the shadows multiplied. Heart-rending screams were heard throughout the room. In a distant place, a knight dreamed of the worst night of his life.

* * *

_Merik was running through the partially frozen forest, six other knights were with him. Together they surrounded the three people they had to protect._

_About twenty men were chasing them. Mercenaries surely. They had had to escape from the last village where they were hiding in the middle of the night._

_The knight heard screams in the distance and everything turned into a confusing myriad of images. More screaming. They could barely make their way through the branches of the trees in that unknown forest. The snow came up to their knees making escape almost impossible, but they still tried. The next village was not far from there, if they managed to reach it, its villagers would help them._

_The meager moonlight guiding them through the trees was suddenly suppressed by a purple cloud. The snow, which previously fell in light flakes on their heads, became a violent blizzard that threatened to make them fall. The knights closed their formation to keep the family they guarded as protected as possible. The woman was wounded, she had been hit by an enemy arrow when the fight began, but she was still struggling to escape. The man, who most fiercely fought against the wind, carried the little girl in his arms, they had managed to hit her too, it seemed that she had lost consciousness._

_Between the wind and the snow that swirled around them, they distinguished a group of men approaching, their torches gleaming overhead. The screams were heard again. Merik was afraid, he was just a young lad, he had recently entered the royal guard, he wasn’t prepared for this._

_The whistle of the wind as it passed through the frozen branches mingled with the shouts of its pursuers. The boy began to tremble and the cold was not to blame._

_In the distance, the lights of the village were already visible, it wasn’t far away so they tried to speed up the pace._

_A shadow crossed in front of the group, they had already reached them. In the blink of an eye, the knights brandished their swords. After that, it was all confusion. He only remembered the scant light reflected off the edges of the heavy blades rushing in every direction. He felt a strong pain in his ribs as he began to fade. Trying to focus his blurred vision, he could see in the distance the body of the man he was protecting, he was alone. The girl was nowhere to be seen. He tried to get closer but the wound was bigger than he initially thought and the fatigue finally overcame him._"

“No!" The knight's scream interrupted the silence that reigned in the ship's hold.

"Merik, are you alright?" Elsa shook his arm to wake him up.

The knight looked agitated and his face was very pale. He opened his eyes suddenly and the girl's face gradually came into focus.

"I'm fine" he whispered. "It was just a nightmare”

"What girl were you talking about?" Agnes, illuminated by a small flame that levitated over her hand, appeared on the other side of the man.

"Girl?"

"In your dreams, you said something about a little girl" she replied.

"No… I don't know" he lied "Go back to sleep, it was just a bad dream."

He turned away from them and pretended to fall into a deep sleep, next to him Elsa and Agnes, lay down again.

* * *

Eylack had spent all that week preparing certain rooms in the castle for possible intruders. Anyone who ventured into those rooms or hallways would suffer a horrible death. He smiled victoriously and instantly raised his hand and placed it on his precious book, the Grimoire was hidden between the folds of his cloak.

Hans had called him, his services were required again. He wondered what mission his master would have for him.

He slowly walked down the corridor that led to the royal chambers, at the door, two guards waited. The warlock felt the discomfort that his presence caused in these men, a wave of pleasure coursed through his body as he felt his power over them. Before he got too close, the guard opened the door for him. Pleased, he entered.

"Bring Anna to me" the king of Duatros growled from the top of his throne "It still takes a couple of days for her to return but I want to know if she has carried out my orders."

Eylack just nodded and left.

It wasn’t the first time that he had transported someone in the shadows that he navigated so easily. It wasn’t difficult for him, but the trip was not pleasant for his companion. Only the bravest or truly mad men could bear what the shadows showed them.

On his last trip he was accompanied to Gørban by the spy along with two Haegls. At first he seemed to resist, but a few days after completing his mission, he had fallen seriously ill.

But he knew that the princess would be different, she was already used to hell. He shut himself in his room, where no light could get in, there he felt more comfortable. He walked to the corner furthest from the door and reached out as if he wanted to touch the wall but he never touched it, his arm sank until the wizard's entire body had disappeared.

The doors of the royal hall reopened. Hans saw his younger sister enter. She was deadly pale, and her teal eyes and fiery hair highlighted the lack of color on her face even more.

"Did you like the trip?" the king said mockingly when Anna approached.

"I've had better" the young woman said cheekily. "I barely had time to inform my men, he took my arm and dragged me here… I didn't know Eylack could do that" she murmured after a short silence.

"There are many things you don't know" the king said from his throne with a sly smile. "Have you accomplished what I have sent you to do?"

"There are no survivors"

"The commander…?"

"I killed him myself"

"Good" Hans said, rising from the throne and approaching his sister, "Did something happen out of the ordinary?"

Anna remained motionless. _How can he know?,_" the girl thought. _Impossible_.

"Nothing has happened" she replied in the most emotionless voice she could articulate.

Hans was watching her closely.

"Alright… You can go now"

The princess turned and headed for the door. She wanted to leave the royal room as soon as possible, she felt as if her brother could read her thoughts. He couldn't find out about her. He couldn't know that she wasn't able to kill a simple girl, jeopardizing his plans. He couldn't know that from that moment, that blond girl had not abandoned her thoughts.


	9. Kimma

Early that morning, Agnes climbed onto the deck of the Millena with memories of a stormy dream still spinning inside her mind. The first thing she saw was his young apprentice practicing the spells she had recently taught her. The girl had taken one of the sacks Leif was carrying to Kimma, putting her hand on it covering with a golden shield and then attacking it with her sword. She had learned to control the spell very well since hr sorceress had thought her and despite the powerful attacks she was wielding, both the sack and the apples it contained were intact.

"Nidryon Wyn" the young woman repeated once again.

"Leave the apples alone, you can't improve the spell anymore"

"I’m just learning to control my energy, besides it's good practice for my sword skills"

"I don't think you can improve on that either. You're good with the sword"

"Not good enough" she said through clenched teeth, dealing another hard blow to the bag of fruit.

"Elsa" called the sorceress calmly "Come here"

The young woman stopped but took a few moments to put her sword away. Under the Leif’s watchful eye, who stood behind the stirring oar, the women sat near the mast.

"Tell me what happened in the forest"

Elsa looked at her companion in surprise and then lowered her eyes as if she had just done something wrong. In a low, almost inaudible voice, she told what had happened that afternoon in the forest.

"Didn't she try to follow you?"

"No… that's the strangest thing. She let me go when she could’ve killed me."

"I see… was she pretty?" the amused sorceress asked.

"Why are you asking me that?"

"Because you have put particular emphasis on your description of that redheaded warrior"

"Well…," Elsa said, acknowledging when she was being caught “She was… she…”

“Go on child; tell me what you’re really thinking”

"She was very pretty” Elsa finally gave up and with dreamy eyes continued “but her eyes… Agnes, her eyes had the most beautiful color I’ve ever seen. Just looking her in the eyes brought me calm"

"Despite having her sword in your throat?"

The girl laughed.

"Yes, despite that"

Agnes just looked at Elsa, knowing he wasn’t donde yet.

And there was a little scar in her upper lip and the freckles… Gods, her freckles were everywhere and covered her little nose…” Elsa stopped, realizing the things that were coming out of her mouth.

“Great description of someone who was about to kill you”

“But she didn’t”

Both women shared a knowing look.

"Can I take my apples back to the hold?"

Leif had caught up with them on the deck and was claiming ownership over the apples Elsa had been practicing with.

"I'll take them" the girl said.

"No, no. It’s okay, I can do it"

The man took the heavy bag next to the young woman but didn’t attempt any of his usual moves. Elsa was surprised.

"It seems to me that your sword skills had scared Leif" said Agnes.

Elsa just shrugged and they both laughed. The sorceress was very happy with the progress of her new friend. She had gone from sarcastic mutism to being a pretty sociable young lady and that was saying a lot.

At that moment, Kristoff made his appearance on deck. He ran out of the cargo area holding his right hand against his chest and threw himself into Elsa's arms, sobbing.

"What's going on?" she asked him, worried.

"He just hurt his hand trying to lift some barrels" Merik said joining them.

"Why are you letting the little boy do those jobs?" Agnes reproached.

"It's true, he’s still too small for that heavy load" Elsa accompanied.

The smith had been puzzled by the grimace both women were directing at him. Then he let out a deep laugh.

"I see that a maternal instinct has been taken hold in this part of the ship. I better go and help Leif… over there"

"Maternal instinct?" the women repeated in unison, exchanging looks between concerned and amused.

"Come closer so I can heal you" Agnes told the boy, trying to get those crazy ideas out of her mind. "We will keep talking about redheads and calm eyes later" she whispered for only Elsa to hear.

Elsa nodded with a lopsided smile. Her gaze fell on dense blue clouds approaching from the south. As long as they continued sailing ahead of the storm, they would be fine.

* * *

The princess was lying in her bedroom. It had been a long time since she had accepted her inhability to fall asleep, her mind refused to rest. The woman she had met in Ezca forest had left a strange sensation in her chest that was reluctant to disappear.

Anna knew she could’ve taken her life but she never lowered her head or showed fear. The Princess remembered her fast and agile body and precise movements, Anna only had an advantage because the way she approached from her back, her strengh had been worthy of one of her warriors. She closed her eyes and remembered how soft the young woman's hand felt in hers when she stopped the blow the blond tried to deliver. Anna smiled for the first time in a long time.

But the anguish reappeared when she crashed back to reality, the possibilities of seeing her again were practically non-existent and wondered where she would be in that moment.

When her warriors invaded Ezca’s port they didn’t attack the village, they went directly to the docks, to the galleon from Vanaheim. There they destroyed and burned everything that got in their way. But, by Anna's order, they didn't touch a single house in town. She feared that the beasts she trained as soldiers might kill the woman she just met. It was an irrational fear that had taken hold of her heart, even knowingw that many people would suffer if they devastated the village but in her mind there was only the safety of that one girl.

"I don't even know her name" she murmured into the silence that spread in her room. Such a thing had never happened to her, the blond woman was all she could think of despite being immersed into fierce strife with the captain of the invaded ship.

Anna remembered that the man had turned out to be a formidable contender. He had fought to the end. She even hesitated before killing him, thinking it was a shame to skew the life of such a noble knight. But she had to, it was her orders. The young Princess got to the point of hating herself for following the commands of her ruthless brother, but her parents had asked her to do so.

The image of her mother brought back memories that had not visited her in a long time. Her words reached her ears as if they had just been spoken.

"The moment will come and you will know your true path" she had said one hot summer afternoon when Anna was just a child "We are all in this world to fulfill a mission, yours will reveal itself in due time, but you have to be vigilant not to let it pass."

Before her sudden death, the Queen used to spend a lot of her time with Young Anna and she still remembered how her mother used to struggle to comb her indomitble hair every morning. Not for the first time she asked herself what could have happened if her brother had listened to their mother’s advice. A strange illness had taken her away from them at a very young age, Anna was barely three years old and Hans just reached sixteen. Maybe if she was still alive everything will be different.

Her father, on the other hand, never thought Hans could be redeemed although Anna know it always hurt him the fact that his son wasn’t capable of any kind of goodness.

He used to tell her that there was somebody out there in the world who’s sole purpose was to stop him but she attributed to old age because he never explained to her why the insistence that she should be ready for that moment. She always felt like was hiding something, a bit of information she needed to make sense of it all. She felt lost.

* * *

In just four days the Millena had covered the distance between Ezca and Kimma, a fishing village that was located north of the Romsdalen forest, within the kingdom of Duatros and Agnes had had a lot to do with that time saved.

She used the spell only a few times because it required a lot of energy and was easily depleted, but the spell that controlled the wind was very useful to them. When nature refused to help them, the sorceress used all her experience to get to Duatros as soon as possible. Many times Elsa asked her to teach her that powerful spell so she could help but Agnes always answered the same thing, "You are still too inexperienced. This spell can kill you or make us drift. I don't know about you, but I don't like either option" Elsa accepted it without protest, in terms of magic Agnes had more experience. Thus, aided by the spell, the crew was able to see the coastline that stretched along the edge of the continent sooner than originally thought.

The journey had been fairly smooth, Leif had been incredibly well behaved around Elsa, Kristoff kept his antics at bay, and Merik and Agnes had made a habit of arguing over trifles, but often apologizing after a few minutes. Truth be told, it was Merik who always apologized.

Elsa had been silent for most of the trip. She was often questioned by Agnes regarding what happened in Ezca forest and she answered succintly. There was something she hadn't told yet, simply because she couldn't make sense of it. Having found that tablet and then simply losing it was something that intrigued her, although the words that were inscribed on it were what most confused her.

"Whoever dares to disturb the forces that govern this world…” that part surely referred to Hans and his attempts to conquer Vanaheim, but she wasn’t sure was what the "…most powerful weapon…" might be. It was all very confusing, she didn’t know of a weapon capable of destroying an entire army. The words had been engraved in her memory, she didn’t need to read the inscriptions again to know what it said but she would have liked to have them in her hands to know that it was real, that she had not imagined it.

They could already distinguish the houses that were in front of the port of Kimma, it was only a matter of time for the barge to moor at its docks. Elsa decided to go down to the hold to make sure thei belongings were ready. Merik, Agnes and Kristoff watched the scenery from the stern tower.

As always, darkness covered the small cargo area. The belongings of the entire group lay along with the heavy wooden boxes Leif was to deliver in Kimma. The young woman approached and checked that everything was in order.

"Do you have everything ready?" the sailor's voice was heard as he approached.

"Yes” the girl answered, laconically and tried to leave the place.

"Wait, I wanted to tell you something."

"Speak"

Leif smiled, Elsa's kindness had a limit that was easily reached in his presence.

"I wanted to apologize for my behavior. I was very rude and I’m sorry. I don't usually have contact with girls as beautiful as you and I didn't know how to keep my manners."

He sounded quite sincere so Elsa had no choice but to answer him in the same way.

"Honestly, it was a very uncomfortable trip. But if you are really apologizing then I accept the apology."

Without further explanation, the girl left the hold leaving the sailor in silence.

A few hours later, when they were all on land, they decided to have lunch together in one of the village taverns.

Everything was different there. The gloomy atmosphere of the houses and their inhabitants had surprised everyone. There was so much misery and sadness reflected in the eyes of every person in that kingdom that the normally bright and colorful villaged looked gray and old.

"What the hell happened here?" Leif asked under his breath, looking around "I haven't sailed this far in a long time, but it wasn't like this the last time I cast anchor in this port."

"I think war is affecting this kingdom more than Vanaheim" Agnes said.

"What affects this kingdom is not war, it is its king," Merik corrected.

"It could be" Elsa interrupted the group's musings "But we have something more important to do here before worrying about the state of the villages."

"It’s true" the knight acknowledged. "We will depart this afternoon for Romsdalen forest, although I don’t think the queen is there"

"The Inn keeper said something about rumors of a hostage at Duatros Castle, it’s probably her."

"Finally you say something that can be useful to us" the young woman told Leif but it was all in good nature.

"Then we will save some time if we follow the Brising River to the Stone Crosses bridge instead of going into the forest" Merik resolved.

They finished having lunch in silence and then they went to the outskirts of the town, Leif accompanied them until that point.

"Well, this is as far as I can go. Just walk east, toward the river, then south to the bridge. You can't miss it."

"Don’t worry, we won’t get lost" Elsa assured him, looking in the direction he had pointed out.

"You will never change" observed the sailor. Slowly he reached out and hugged her tightly. "Just take care of yourself, okay?"

Leif had taken her by surprise, so she was suddenly wrapped in his arms, at least for a few moments since she managed to get free quickly.

"You guys take care too. Especially you, little one" he said to Kristoff, who pushed away the hand that was trying to pat his head.

"I can take care of myself."

"I know, but you must also protect everyone else"

"I will" he replied, proud of the entrusted mission.

They left immediately. Leif had been watching them as they walked away but Elsa didn’t turn even once until the town was out of sight.

A wide valley stretched out in front of them, it would not be long before they reached the river. From there, only half a day of walking awaited them before the Stone Crosses bridge revealed itself to them.

* * *

The princess wandered around the castle without much to do, she was surprised that her brother hadn’t called her to assign another mission. But it was better that way, she didn’t want to be closed to him unless it was absolutely necessary. Thus Anna had time to attend to her own affairs.

Slowly, the young woman walked in the direction of the West tower from where she could see the entire kingdom, when she heard a murmur of voices not far from where she was. Anna followed the sound until she reached the gates of the War Room. The Princess didn0t know her brother was having a meeting that day so she approached the door to try to recognize the two men who were talking inside.

"She left Kimma in the early afternoon, my lord. The group will follow the river as you wished" Eylack's voice reached Anna's ears.

"Good. Send three Siegls and let them go on foot, so they'll be intercepted before they reach the bridge, they can't gent near Silje. If the girl finds out about the prophecy she could ruin everything I've worked for. We should finish her off once for all. "

_Prophecy_? The princess wondered not knowing what her brother was talking about.

Then she heard heavy footsteps heading for the door. She managed to hide before Hans left the room.

"What prophecy was he talking about?" she uttered to the solitude of the corridor once she had drifted far enough from the War Room "Who will the Siegls intercept and why should they not reach the queen?"

Clearly it was more than just one rescue party trying to sabe the queen of Vanaheim, otherwise Hans wouldn't have mentioned that they was jeopardizing his plans. Anna was increasingly confused. If anything was clear in her mind it was that Silje was in serious danger in that castle, but what could she do? The only reason she had participated in the kidnapping was because her brother had assured her that the woman was in no danger, but she knew that Hans wasn’t true to his word.

She was tired of watching people die because of the actions of the king and she knew she couldn't bear the queen suffering because of him.

Anna battled with her own thoughts, she owed loyalty to her brother since he was the only family she had left in the world, but she hated everything he did.

The girl continued on her way to the tower and stayed there until the sun began to descend over the horizon. Sitting on one of the pillars of the battlement she waited until the curse came for her, trying to figure out what she would do with her life. She was already an adult woman and had to decide for herself.

* * *

They had finally reached the mighty Brising River. It was a torrential mass of water that moved between eddies and currents from one end of the horizon to the other. It was already getting dark when they were able to find its banks, so they had to find a refuge where they could spend the dark hours of the night. It didn't take long for them to find a good place to stay, Kristoff discovered a small of hollow made up of huge gray stones by the river. The fire was lit in a matter of moments as the travelers prepared to rest.

"I'll look for berries!" said Kristoff with enthusiasm.

"This time don't stray too far" warned the sorceress.

The boy smiled and was lost in the bushes surrounding the small cave.

Elsa had covered most of the journey in the most closed silence and tonight, by the fire, she was still deep in thought.

"What happen?" the knight asked.

The girl looked up but didn't say a word.

"It's because of what happened in Ezca, right?" Agnes asked.

"It’s just that that…, something else happened" the girl began. That caught the attention of the two people in front of her.

"As the Haegl was chasing me, I felt the ground below me fail and I fell into a pit. Or at least I initially thought so, it was actually an underground cave and I couldn’t climb out the wall because I had hurt my wrist in the fall, I had to tried to find my way out in the passageways of the cave"

The girl told her journey through the caves of Ezca in detail and how she managed to get out of there. But above all, she emphasized that golden tablet she found at the bottom of the stream. When it was over, Merik and Agnes exchanged a strange look.

"At the time I wasn't concerned with the fact that the tablet was missing, I wanted to find Kristoff because that creature was still wandering around the woods. But now, I feel like it was something very important to me and I lost it."

"I don't think that tablet was meant to come out of the cave" the sorceress said.

"But how come no one found it before?"

"It was probably there for only one person to find it"

"Me?"

"I'm not sure why it was you, but it must mean something" the knight interjected.

"It said something about a weapon to defeat the person who broke the balance. That person must be Hans and that there is something or someone who will defeat him"

"It's probably someone" Merik said, his gaze unfocused, lost in thought. There were too many things coming together, it couldn’t be concidence.

"Is that why the queen has been kidnapped? She may be the chosen one."

"Not the queen, her child" Agnes clarified.

"Silje has no children" Merik replied.

"She’s pregnant. A few moons ago, a royal caravan crossed alongside me as I wandered the roads near Gyfu. The queen was happy to have found a sorceress and considered it a good omen for her journey, she asked me to read her future. Sorcerers don't do that, but I felt a very strong energy coming from her, that kind of aura can only mean one thing, she was pregnant and her son would be very important, I knew that right away. "

"You say the chosen one is the queen's son?"

"O daughter" Elsa ventured.

"It's a boy" the sorceress corrected. "And yes, it is very likely that he is what the golden tablet you found was talking about"

"Why did Elsa find it, then?" the blacksmith questioned, putting a shade of doubt on Agnes's theory.

"Because I must protect him" Elsa concluded, seriously, sounding very determined.

"I never knew what my purpose in this world was, but now I know. I must prevent that evil man from killing the queen's son. It is my destiny, that’s the reason I found the tablet"

No one said anything after that. The silence was interrupted by a cheerful Kristoff who returned with his arms full of wild berries that he had found and distributed them to everyone.

"I think we are all here for the same reason" Elsa sealed, the other two nodded.


	10. Stone Crosses

In the royal hall of Vanaheim Castle…

"How could that happen?!" Eirik's screams echoed throughout the castle. "They were the best men in the royal guard"

"We don’t know, sir" said the messenger shanking in his boots. "The generals say you should have sent the infantry, their warriors are stronger"

"But those knights belonged to my personal guard and Skadi was one of the best commanders!"

The king was trying to find a logical explanation for what was happening. It seemed like his nightmares were coming true. Less than ten days ago he had sent a powerful contingent of knights to rescue Silje, they only had to reach Duatros and Hans would deliver the Queen to them. But that was not what happened, when the galleon that had sailed from the port of Vanaheim moored on the island of Ezca for provisions, it was attacked by a horde of warriors and they were all killed, along with the King’s hopes to see his wife and son again. Luckily, he had sent a small schooner after them, as lookouts. It was the sailors who traveled in it who alerted the King about what had happened. Now Eirik was desperate, not knowing what decision to make next. The matter had gotten out of hand and he had no one to trust.

He couldn’t order a mass attack on Duatros because it would endanger his wife's life, nor could he attempt to reason with Hans since the messenger, Eylack, appeared at the least expected moment without being able to contact him and furthermore, it was unlikely that the regent of Duatros would yield.

He had made a big mistake, she should never have trusted this man and take care of the brat on his own would have been the wisest decision.

He remembered the image of the little girl jumping around in the royal halls, with her parents watching her pleased from their thrones. Her white curls unfolded as she ran around the castle. He used to hide behind columns or suit of armor and observe her, he dreamed of being able to eliminate her one day. Eirik hated the little girl then and hated her even more now. Everything that was happening to him was her fault.

* * *

Early that morning, the group that was heading to the city of Duatros, started the march and had already been walking for half a day when they prepared to have lunch on the banks of the river. It was a very different landscape from what Elsa knew. The trees were dry and withered when they should have been blooming at that time of the year. As they approached the Bridge of Stone Crosses, the forest that bordered the Brising River seemed more ruined.

Agnes and Elsa were practicing some spells when Merik and Kristoff returned from their hunt.

"We’re not hunters but we managed quite well" said the knight showing their prey proudly.

Elsa smiled at them pleased and continued practicing.

"Now that you have mastered the simplest spells we will go into weapon enchantment"

"Is it possible to do that?"

"With magic, anything is possible. There are two spells that can coat the weapon of your choice with fire or ice"

Elsa unsheathed her sword and placed it in front of Agnes.

"Show me"

"Nydur Ken"

The sorceress touched the iron with the tip of her index finger and slid it across the flat part of the blade. The sword began to burn instantly, the metal was red hot. As soon as they appeared, the flames disappeared.

"Your turn"

"Nydur Ken" the girl pronounced.

The fire burned again, covering the sword with an incandescent red. But the flames were larger and radiated heat in all directions. Elsa stood with the sword in front of her, her eyes reflecting the spell. She felt powerful.

When she felt Agnes hand on her shoulder the flames disappeared.

"You have a very strong connection with that sword" Agnes said finally.

Elsa nodded. Almost without realizing it, she had developed a bond with it in the past few days. Before, she hated having it around because the memories it brought caused her a lot of pain, now she always kept it by her side, she knew it was protecting her.

"What is the other spell?"

"Seeing that you already control fire, I'll show you ice"

She approached her sword again and uttered the enchantment.

"Surye Ken"

This time, over the blade, a bluish glow spread and the sword became almost transparent, as if it were made of ice.

"Now hit that tree"

The girl obeyed. The moment the metal made contact with the bark of the aging trunk, small crystals and fractals of all sizes began to cover the tree. When the spell ceased its expansion, the massive trunk was an ice sculpture. Its branches began to crack and fell to the ground where they slowly melted.

"Amazing" said the young woman surprised by the power she was acquiring.

"You have an affinity for ice, I see. But don't get too excited, remember that magic must be destined to do good"

"I know" Elsa replied sincerely.

"Let's go back, the boys must miss us"

The lunch was quite lively, the four of them were in a good mood and Elsa's advances with magic had left her well predisposed to Merik's jokes. After the meal was over, they decided it would be best to leave as soon as possible. They didn’t want to spend another night on that bank of the river, so they had to cross the bridge before the sun went down.

The path was covered without problems, the vegetation was almost non-existent, and so there were no bushes or other obstacles that nature could put in their path. As the sun began its inevitable descent behind the trees, the group could make out the outline of the bridge over the Brising River.

As they got closer, huge stone crosses, which gave the bridge its name, were distinguishable between the vines and bushes that spread along the shore. They were broken and parched undergrowth had gripped them for many years. They looked sadly forgotten.

"It's been a while since I've seen crosses like this" said Merik.

"What are they for?" little Kristoff's curiosity was ever present.

"Travelers used to put them on bridges and road junctions to protect themselves. They said that horrible things could happen to travelers in those places"

"But they won't protect us now" Agnes said suddenly.

"Why are you say that?"

"Look over there"

Merik and Elsa observed the point that the sorceress pointed out. The image they saw horrified them. Three monsters were heading towards them followed by a dense fog. They were much like the ones they had seen before, tall and clad in heavy armor of a stone-like material. But there was a slight difference, where the other creatures had a bluish glow, in these it was as if they were made of fire since their armor crevices were illuminated by the brilliant red of the inferno's flames. They were also heavily armed, with long swords in one hand and a heavy glowing shield, as if they were fresh from the forge, in the other.

"Siegls" Merik said putting himself on guard.

"Do you remember the 'other' creatures from hell I told you about?" Agnes said, addressing Elsa "Well, you will have the opportunity to meet them"

"Kristoff, step aside. Stay behind us," the young woman murmured to the boy.

The little boy obeyed immediatly.

"Should we split?" he asked, without taking his eyes off the approaching beasts.

"No, we better attack all together" Merik said, knuckles white over the hilt of his sword.

The sorceress approached the knight, whispering a few simple words, and when her hand touched the blacksmith's weapon, it was covered in dangerous magic flames.

"Good idea, we will fight fire against fire"

"Go ahead" Elsa said, taking her bow and putting the quiver of arrows within her reach. "Try to lower their guard, I will take care of the final blow"

The other two watched her for a few moments, her words were loaded with security, they just had to trust her.

Before the Siegls got closer to them, trying to protect Kristoff who was hiding behind an old oak tree, Agnes and Merik jumped on them.

The beasts raised their guard and with their shields up, waited for them. The knight was the first to reach them, his sword slammed into the beast's shield. At that time, a sphere of energy collided with the enemy's defense causing the shield to be thrown from the wearer's arm and to fall heavily on the ground, raising a cloud of dust and steam. Knowing what was to come next, Merik had barely managed to move his body when a flaming arrow flew through the air and embedded itself in the space between the shoulder pad and the breastplate of hideous warrior's armor.

It was a matter of seconds from the armor hitting the dilapidated forest floor until the remaining two Siegls threw themselves onto Merik. The knight could barely dodge one of the swords and blocked with his own the other monster.

"Eohliney!" Agnes, a few steps back, conjured thick branches that imprisoned the Siegl who had failed his thrust. The beast struggled to free itself but the vegetation continued to grow at its feet, capturing its arms and legs and preventing him from moving.

As Merik battled the third monster, Elsa tightened her bowstring again, the whistling arrow shot out and sank into the visor slot of the monster's heavy helmet, the one that was held captive by Agnes's spell.

At the same time that the beast's armor fell among the branches, the last warrior tried to violently strike the knight whose reflections allowed him to defend himself, but the blow was so strong that Merik's sword fell from his hand. Without wasting time, the attacker tried to give the blacksmith the final blow.

"Nidryon Win!" Elsa and Agnes's scream echoed in unison on the river bank. A dense layer of golden light covered the knight from head to toe and protected him from the blow to his chest. The Siegl's strength only pushed him back a few steps.

A third arrow pierced the air of that afternoon but was repelled by the monster's shield, which at the last moment, it had managed to lift. Far from giving up on his attempt to kill Merik, the beast struck another blow, but this time Elsa wouldn’t fail. She concentrated all her energy on the tip of the arrow in front of her eyes as she closed them tightly. She felt her energy, which had been gathering in her chest, suddenly leave her and almost fading she released the bowstring. Her body, weak from the loss of energy, fell to the ground. When her eyes were finally open again, the faces of her friends was the first sharp image she could distinguished.

"Are you okay?" Kristoff's concern was reflected in his small face.

"Yes, I'm fine" the young woman replied smiling and trying to sit up with difficulty "What happened?"

"Well…" Agnes still looked surprised "The last arrow you shot went through the Siegl's brestplate"

"What? I thought their armor couldn't be pierced."

When her aching body allowed her to sit up, Elsa saw the Siegl's black breastplate on the riverbank, her arrow was still stuck there, the cracks forking from where it had penetrated and threatening to break the armor into a thousand pieces.

"Your arrow had violet flames around it and pierced it like it was butter" Kristoff said in awe.

Elsa only remembered having released that last arrow with all her power. She had put so much energy into that last shot that her own body suffered the consequences. Merik helped her to her feet, her legs trembling and her breathing continued to be shaky.

"I don't know what you did just then" the sorceress told her "But I'm proud of you"

The girl could on ly smile back.

When she was able to move more easily, they walked throught the bridgke of the Stone Crosses. With each step they took, the certainty that someone wanted to impede their advance and rescue the queen were affirmed. They passed the Siegl's armor in silence. Someone was taking too much trouble to prevent them from reaching Silje. The old stone bridge remained stoic as a permanent mockery to the unfailingly passing of the years and now it accepted their steps towards their destiny. The waters of the Brising River, which flowed below, filled the air with a constant gurgle that hid the group's steps as they crossed the bridge. Elsa walked more slowly than the rest, her aching legs resisting increasing the speed.

The girl gripped the hilt of her sword tightly. She didn't know what had happened back there and that scared her. She found herself wishing that, at least for a few seconds, her parents were with her.

They didn’t need to walk more than a few hours to reach their destination. Situated in a vast valley, surrounded by low hills, the enormous citadel of Duatros spread out in front of them.

Without wasting time they decided to go as stealthily as possible. They shouldn’t raise any kind of suspicion or everything would be lost. Agnes covered her strange clothes with a dark cloak, just like Merik who had put his shining armor in a leather bag long ago.

They walked the streets in silence and very close to each other. Elsa had taken Kristoff's hand, she didn’t want to risk losing him among the crowd that circulated around every corner of the city.

With curiosity, she saw that it wasn’t so different from Kimma, the houses were gray like the clothes of most of the villagers. People didn’t smile, they hardly spoke to each other. They walked the street there as if they were asleep. The presence of the purest evil was perceived in the environment and had affected everyone in that huge city. The small market stalls were in ruins, very few offered any kind of merchandise. Most of the houses were in disrepair as well, as if no one cared about repairing their homes. Almost no children were seen, the few they could see were sitting in front of the portals of their houses, playing alone and in silence.

Upon entering a tavern they were able to observe the consequences of Hans' greedy war. They walked through the door hoping to find a quiet place to rest but were surprised by the chaos inside. In each corner there were two or more people fighting fiercely, the rest kept their eyes fixed on their drink, ignoring the skirmishes that were waged next to them.

They backed away, this wasn’t a good place to rest.

"We should find a place to stay tonight" Merik said. "We can't risk sleeping outside. People here are too violent."

They continued walking, the villagers were still fighting among themselves in the corners, women wandered around with their eyes empty and lost. The city was falling apart.

The sun had already hidden behind the hills. Darkness flooded the streets of the village and stars appeared as bright hope above them. On top of one of the northern hills, the Duatros Castle stood imposing and ominous over the entire city. It was nothing more than a structure that stood like an omnipotent lookout over the town. Warning. Threatening.

A series of chills ran down Elsa's back as she looked at the castle.

"Elsa" Agnes caught her attention, taking her out of her trance "Merik found an inn"

The knight had finally found a place to spend the night. It was a humble inn in one of the busiest alleys in the city. The raquity door creaked as they opened it. Inside, barely lit by a lonely candle burning lazily on the counter, was an old woman. She was small and hunched, silver hair covered her head and was held by a long braid that reached to her waist. Her black eyes, sunken by the passing of the years, scrutinized them carefully when they entered the place.

"Do you want a room?" se asked, her eyes sharp as the big man approached her. Her voice had a hint of fear that she was careful to hide.

"That's right, my lady. Is any available?" The knight said kindly.

"Available?" said the old woman making a face that Kristoff found funny "There are not many travelers who dare to come here"

"Well, we would like to have two for tonight"

"I only have one" she huffed, making efforts to get up from her chair and with uncertain steps led them to a small wooden door at the end of a hallway "This is the only one that is free"

"I thought you said that few people passed through here" Agnes said confused as the old woman took the five gold coins that Merik gave her.

"Yes, but the rest are full of rats"

Very quietly, the old lady took her place behind the counter again.

"Rats?" the sorceress repeated in a whisper.

The others smiled at the disgusted expression on the woman's face.

When the darkness over the Duatros kingdom was absolute, the group gathered in the room to discuss their plans for the next day. It wasn’t an easy task to enter a castle without being seen and much less leave with the queen. Merik had been away for a few hours and when he returned he informed them of his findings. He had carefully studied the surroundings of the castle and, step by step, he explained to them the plan they would execute the next morning.

* * *

"Where are the Siegls?" Hans roared from his throne.

"I only found their armors by the river, sir"

The soldier trembled as he brought the bad news to his king, he knew how angry he could be when things didn’t go as planned. And that time was no exception, Hans uttered a roar of fury that shook the tall windows of the royal hall.

"She still alive" she muttered after the scream "I swear I will kill her with my bare hands"

The king looked furious but deep in his being he was very afraid. The girl continued to evade death and the warriors he sent. He began to understand why Eirik was unable to do his job. Even when she was four years old, she had slipped from his hands like desert sand. He hit the armrest of his throne with brutal force.

Suddenly, a familiar sensation attacked him. He smirked.

In one of the corridors of the castle, Anna walked slowly. She liked solitude in those tumultuous days. She was heading to the royal hall to meet her brother, the curse would start at any moment, when a stabbing pain in her chest stopped her steps. Striving to breathe, The Princess felt as if a beast was trying to break out of her chest. The pain was terrible, but she was used to it. She brought her hand to her side, with relief she felt the sheath of her sword firmly held by her belt. The flames of hell were approaching and she preferred not to go to that horrible place unarmed. One more night that she would have to fight for her life.

At the end of the hall an intense light began to shine, the infernal flames had found her. Anna straightened up and haughtily faced them. The fire began to spread at great speed throughout the corridor, burning everything in its path. The Princess could see the demons waiting for her on the other side. In the blink of an eye the flames engulfed her and she found herself, just like every night, surrounded by the flames of hell.

"Why did you take so long?" Hans asked, sitting on a rock smiling at her. The girl didn’t answer, she just unsheathed her sword and faced the horde of demons, of all kinds and deformities, which was slowly approaching and stalking their newly arrived prey. Hans laughed again and followed suit.

All the demons pounced on them at the same time, and despite the fact that the siblings got rid of them easily, they continued to appear.

_This is our punishment for breaking the rules_, Anna thought.

Her brother fought beside her with a cold smile on his face, his hands and sword were bathed in thick, dark blood that also stained his robes. But Hans enjoyed it, smiling as he decapitated one of the creatures and plunged the blade of his weapon into the dying body of a hydra, already completely decapitated. The savagery in his being completely dominated the king of Duatros when, night after night, he was sent to hell.

As Anna served her punishment with genuine repentance, Hans rejoiced with every demon he slaughter, with every gush of blood his sword shed in that underground cave where lava ran freely through deep cracks and craters. The souls of the dark-hearted men burned in cages for all eternity and their piercing cries of pain mingled with the king's angry laughter.


	11. Reunion

Elsa hadn’t been able to fall asleep that night. Before dawn broke, the young girl walked the streets of a city that was asleep and plunged into deep silence.

In the distance, the sun threatened to chase away the shadows from the corners of those gray slums, revealing the details of a town in disgrace. She walked without direction and with a blank mind feeling sorry for the citizen of Duatros. She had never really cared about the fate of the kingdom in which she lived, but seeing the horrible fate that might await them after the evident abandonment by their king, she felt the need to help, to do something so that all these people wouldn’t suffer misery and misfortune. Elsa remembered the plump, cheery lady who had offered her a nice scrap of cloth the day she learned of Silje's kidnapping she didn’t want to see her as the women of Duatros, so sad and silent. People like her, who worked hard and happily every day, deserved better. A better kingdom. She just hoped that by rescuing the queen, she could prevent this misery form reaching Vanaheim. She had heard of Silje's kindness to her people, of how she tried to correct her husband's mistakes. Surely, she would help the kingdom to be the happy and abundant place she knew.

The girl continued walking aimlessly, zigzagging through the streets without looking where she was going, she just wandered around, lost in her thoughts. Elsa was well away from the inn where Merik and the rest were still sleeping, when she felt a steps behind her.

She pretended not to have heard anything and continued walking in the same direction but she was sure someone was following her.

The blond headed for a blind alley between two houses, she was not afraid of who followed her but wanted to discover their identity. Anyone who knew she was there should be eliminated.

Elsa leaned against one of the walls, hidden by the darkness that dawn had not yet drowned, and waited in silence. But no one appeared. She drew her sword, careful not to alert the stalker and prepared to emerge from her hiding.

"I never thought I’d see you again"

Elsa knew that voice. A series of images shot through her mind. The village of Ezca, the forest, the Haegl, the warrior of Duatros. The young woman she met there.

"Sheathe your sword, I don't want to fight you"

The young woman's voice was calm and warm. Elsa held the sword high in front of her even though she knew she wasn’t in danger.

"What are you doing here?" she asked without letting her guard down.

"Well… I live here"

The young woman smiled so cheekily that it lit her face, her teal eyes shining more than the rays of the sun that already covered much of that hiding place. She looked odd without the heavy armor she wore the day she met her. Now the redhead was wearing a long black coat and tight dark leather pants.

Her body covered the opening of Elsa’s allyway, she was trapped. Without too many options, she complied and sheathed her sword.

Seeing that the young woman had understood that she was coming in peace, Anna gave way to her so that she could leave her hiding place. Elsa slowly passed by her.

"The question would be, what are _you_ doing here?"

"It is none of your business"

"That's true, I'm just trying to be nice and strike up a conversation with you."

"The last time we saw each other you put a sword to my neck"

"Good point" the young woman smiled "But I had orders"

"I know" Elsa said with her gaze always straight ahead. "Thank you for disobeying them"

The girl nodded and they continued walking in silence but a small smile formed in the blonde’s lips. Anna wasn’t used to enjoying someone else’s company and her conversation with the girl was the closest she had had to that since her mother passed away. She felt comfortable around her, she could definitely get used to this. For the first time in a long time she wished she was not the princess of Duatros tied to her evil brother, just a simple villager.

"I must go" the blond girl said suddenly.

"Wait" she stopped her when she was already a few steps away from her. "I need to know your name?"

“Oh… do you?”

Anna smile predatorily, the girl was tempting her. As fast as she could, she pushed the blonde against a wall of another alley, both hidden by a stack of wooden boxes. The redhead pressed her against the wall with her whole body. At that distance she noticed they were practically the same height.

The girl remained silent as Anna watched her with questioning eyes.

"Elsa" she answered, not looking away.

"Nice to meet you… Elsa" she whispered, leaning in a little more. Elsa could feel her breath against her lips.

"How should I call you?" it was her turn to ask.

The princess hesitated for a few moments.

"My name is Anna"

"Anna" she repeated with a daring smile.

"Mhmm, it sounds good when you say it" she said biting her lower lip.

The Princes’ hands caressed the blonde’s face almost reverently, she felt so soft under her rough fingers, and she couldn’t stop touching her.

“Say it again”

“… Anna” Elsa complied and felt Anna’s lips touch her own ever so slightly.

“You taste good when you say it too”

Elsa was in a trance, her mind clouded by the redhead who was holding her and she had no desire to leave that position. Anna had such an effect on her that all of her walls collapsed with just a whisper. All the defenses she had taken so long to build fell at the woman's feet and Elsa felt helpless, although for the first time in her life she didn't care. She wanted to fall into the temptation of those strong arms that now wrapped around her waist and brought her closer to Anna's warm body. Without wasting time, Elsa captured those hesitant lips and kissed her deeply. A moan escaped from Anna's throat as she pressed Elsa's body against the wall with need.

The hands of both began to wander the body of the other. In a sudden movement, Anna put her thigh between Elsa's legs and with her hands firmly grasping her butt, she brought her even closer to her.

“… God" Elsa gasped, taking her lips away for air. Her heart was pounding erratically.

Anna took the opportunity to put her lips to the blonde's neck and leave hot, wet kisses on the base of her throat. Elsa only managed to hold on to Anna's shoulders as the sensations invaded her without warning.

"Please…" she moaned, or begged, or both… she didn't know; but Anna understood her plea. She began to move her hips against Elsa’s with a growl of uncontrolled pleasure.

"Let me take you" Anna said with the words almost caught in her vocal chords. Her body needed the woman's like she had never needed anyone before. She took her hips tightly and increased the pace of her thrusts.

Just as Elsa was about to say something, the door of one of the houses facing the alleyway suddenly opened. They were hidden by the wooden boxes but their movements stopped, both hoping not to be caught. Their breaths were shaky and they mixed in the little space between them. They were flushed, both for the activities they had been doing and for recognizing that they had let themselves been carried away and now the moment had passed.

“I-I really must go now” Elsa told Anna, already regretting the words.

Anna nodded and took a step away from her, the warmth staying with the blond as she felt cold again.

_Why can't I stop smiling?_ Elsa thought as she made her way back to the inn, not daring to look back at where Anna stood in her place, following her with her gaze. Her friends, surely, wondered what had become of her, so she accelerated her steps.

A few minutes later, when she entered the inn, she found Merik, Agnes and Kristoff sitting at one of the tables. The old woman was serving them a simple breakfast that the boy ate cheerfully, the imminent danger that they would run into in a few hours didn’t seem to affect his appetite.

"Morning walk?" Agnes asked, receiving her with a smile.

"I needed to think" she said briefly and sat down.

No one asked anything else, they knew that the young woman needed her times of tranquility. She had lived a long time in complete solitude and her life had undergone several changes lately.

As breakfast passed, Merik reviewed the plan to follow. They had to sneak into the castle, they couldn't openly invade that fortress because they were clearly at a disadvantage.

The knight was very meticulous, denoting experience in this field, so Elsa although she was not used to taking orders, immediately agreed. After breakfast, Merik and Kristoff went to the room to collect their things; Agnes, after paying the old woman, who watched happily as the gold coins slipped into her hand, returned to the table where Elsa remained silent.

"Alright, you can tell me now"

"What do you want me to tell you?" the girl wasn't good at feigning ignorance and by now the sorceress already knew her. She just stared at her. Elsa snorted, feigning annoyance, though a smile threatened to appear on her lips.

"I saw her again" he said simply after a few seconds of intense scrutiny.

"Her?"

"The Duatros' warrior I met in the forest of Ezca"

"The one who tried to kill you?"

"The one who had the opportunity but didn't"

"I detect a certain indulgence in your words"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Anna only followed orders and disobeyed them by not killing me"

"I see she has a name already"

Elsa covered her smile with a grimace that made the sorceress laughed at her.

"Good" Agnes said after a moment, with a mischievous look installed in her eyes "We better go get the boys"

Elsa got up and followed her, her lost gaze making it clear that her thoughts were not in that inn. Without realizing it, she focused on Anna, a rough-looking girl who melted in her hands. The girl shook off the thought quickly, it was the first time she caught herself wasting her time like that.

* * *

The four left the city trying not to be seen and headed for a dense wall of trees that surrounded Duatros Castle at its western end. It was the perfect hiding place to get to the stone fortress without being seen. Along the way, they had to hide from various guards patrolling the grounds, Hans seemed to know they were close. Now more than ever they had to be cautious, the mission sent from Vanaheim had failed so they were the only hope for the queen.

They were lucky, the forest was deserted all the way they traveled, just a few lookouts that were eluded without much effort.

When they reached the planned point, they spotted the target they were looking for, one of the castle's least guarded entrances.

Dressed in dark cloaks so as not to attract the attention of the guards who were watching from the towers, the group skirted the row of trees that had hidden them until then and entered the stables.

It was an extensive gallery full of beautiful equine specimens that communicated with the interior of the castle through a rustic door almost hidden from the sight of those who walked by.

They hid behind a pile of hay accumulated at the end of the gallery, and from there Elsa decimated the two stable boys who worked there. It only took a couple of accurate blows to the head to get them out of their way. They hide the knocked-out boys among the piles of hay and continued.

Stealthily, they crossed the vast stables until they reached the door leading into the interior. The gallery roof protected them from being sighted by the tower guards.

Once inside, they found a large room that kept a few ancient suit of armor and tall stacks of crates and barrels. It looked like a cellar.

"We will part when we get to that room" Merik said following his plan in detail.

He took out a scroll where he had written down every corner that the old lady at the inn had described to him. Cunningly, in a casual-looking conversation, he had been able to put together a fairly comprehensive map of the castle's interior since, in his younger years, the old woman had worked as part of the servants for the ancient kings. The gods had smiled at them when they put that woman on their path.

They continued walking, alert and vigilant. At the foot of a stone staircase, Merik stopped them.

"Once we cross the room at the end of that staircase, Kristoff and I will go down the hallway to the right, we will search the south side of the castle. Agnes will go north. Elsa, you will go up to the third floor and search there. If any of us find the queen, will return to the stable, leave the signal at the front door, take one of the horses and leave for Kimma. The rest will follow. We have to accomplish our task in two hours if we want to get out of this place alive"

Everyone nodded, they knew how much they were risking on this mission but they were willing to do it.

* * *

Silje no longer knew how many days she had spent in that room. Her husband hadn't attempted to rescue her and her future was growing darker. Contact with the outside world was restricted to the servant who brought her food every day, the rest of the time was spent in absolute silence, sometimes interrupted by the steps of the soldiers changing their guard at her door.

But she was a determined woman, she couldn't bear to continue in captivity without doing something about it. All this time she had waited for a rescue attempt from the king of Vanaheim, but Eirik's silence regarding her well-being and that of his own son made the Queen decide to take matters into her own hands. She was alone in this and would anything in her power to protect her son.

That morning, when the servant handed her the food for that day, Silje saw her opportunity to escape. The engraved details and the finish that some experienced goldsmith had given to the cutlery used in the Duatros castle had always caught her attention, but it was not until that morning that she found a more practical use for the knife she had in her breakfast tray.

The door to that room was always closed, but the guards who guarded it used to leave the key on the outside of the lock.

Silje was only waiting for the right moment to put her plan into action and the opportunity came just an hour after she had devised it. Through the door, she heard guards talk about intruders in the castle, and they were both appointed to patrol one of the hallways leading to the royal rooms, but no one came to replace them. Despite the fact that the rooms and accesses to the room where she was kept were heavily guarded, she thought she had the agility and cunning necessary to avoid them. Silje could escape if she wanted to. Furthermore, she had little to lose and everything to gain.

When the sounds normally heard from the other side of the door stopped, Silje approached the lock. Squinting, she spotted that just as she had thought, the key that would get her out of there was still there. She slid one of the rugs that adorned her lavish room under the door and inserted the blade of the knife into the indentation, moved the utensil a couple of times until it was done. The sound of the key as it fell on the part of the carpet that protruded below the door was like music to her ears. Slowly, she pulled the rug, and the shimmer of that small piece of metal lit up her face for a few seconds.

As soon as she turned the knob and the door opened, her heart began to beat wildly inside her chest. The Queen slipped cautiously out of the room and down the empty hallway to a door that led into a spacious living room. Hiding, she heard two guards approaching from the right. Holding her breath for a moment until the soldiers moved away she then took the opposite direction. She didn't know where the exit was but anything was better than staying in that room forever.

Silje walked through a few rooms and corridors trying to avoid the guards who gathered at every corners, hoping not to get caught.

* * *

With their swords held high, Merik and Elsa entered a huge room where shields covered the walls from start to finish, the dense atmosphere that greeted them was almost suffocating, something strange was happening there.

When they entered the room, the door through which they had entered closed abruptly and another, in front of them, opened wide. A group of at least ten men showed up. The moment Elsa tried to move, she felt a tightness in her chest that stopped her. The air in that room seemed to try to stop them at all costs. She looked at the others and found the same surprised expression on their faces.

"It is a curse" Agnes said holding her chest "It will prevent us from moving normally"

With a great effort, the sorceress stood before them and with an orb of energy stopped the first of the guards who tried to attack them.

"Elsa" she called and the young woman, without hesitation, stood next to her to fight. The girl had understood that the only way to defeat the remaining guards was to use magic as they moved too slowly to fight with their swords. As if their handicap wasn't enough, their enemies seemed to move freely.

The two women began casting spells against the men who were trying to reach them but didn't have enough time for the spells to gather all their power due to the slowness of their movements, so they only managed to delay them. Elsa was the first to start feeling tired, her forehead was covered with a cold layer of sweat and her breathing was harsh. She couldn't keep doing this for much longer.

"I have an idea" she said suddenly.

At all the speed the curse allowed her, she put both hands on the stone floor of the room.

"Eohliney" powerful branches began to grow among the warriors, entangling itself in their legs. Just as Agnes had done against the Siegls on the banks of the Brising River. But the spell was weak in the young woman's hands and the men began to break free from their restraints. Agnes placed her hand on her apprentice's shoulder, muttering the same spell. Elsa felt a powerful energy circulate through her body to her hands. The branches that barely reached the guards' ankles grew at tremendous speed. Their attackers were rendered motionless and helpless with their legs powerfully held in place by a vine that refused to free them.

Elsa got up and opened the gate where she was carrying the water.

"Lag Ucrom Sieth" the clear liquid slipped out of the container and formed a meandering oval that floated over her outstretched hand. With a simple wave of the arm, she directed the liquid to the ceiling and finally hovering over the Duatros soldiers' heads in a thick layer.

The billowing substance stayed in place as Elsa pulled an arrow out of her quiver and tightened the string on her bow.

"Agnes, I need ice" she said in a faint voice as she focused on the arrow she was about to shoot.

"Well thought" said the sorceress and with her hand she covered the cold metal of the projectile that the girl was holding, letting a bluish shine cover it.

With what little strength she had left, Elsa released the arrow that pierced through the layer of water and ended up digging into a wooden circle in which a strange dragon-shaped symbol was carved.

Merik looked puzzled at the young woman, it was the first time he had seen her miss a shot. But what seemed like a truncated attempt finally worked.

The arrow had left small ice crystals on top of the layer of water that hung in midair, and in moments it completely froze it. Little by little, it began to crack until it was lined by countless cuts in all its extension. At that moment, the crystalized layer shattered and the sharp pieces crashed down on the knights, wounding them to death.

"It seem someone knows we're here and prepared the castle for us" Elsa said, trying to catch her breath once they left the room.

"And that someone is very powerful. I don't know anyone who can control such magic" Agnes replied "That was a powerful curse, ancient magic, and it was concentrated in the wooden circle that you pierced with your arrow. Thanks to that we could move normally once decimated the guards”

"The one with a carved symbol?"

"Yes. They are called Namtarum talismans and are known to store the most powerful dark magic"

"One more reason to split, we cannot allow all of us to be captured" said Merik, drawing again the map he had drawn.

"Take care of him" the girl said to the knight when he and little Kristoff started to walk away from them.

He nodded.

"You too, take care of yourself" the sorceress said taking her hand "This will be dangerous"

"I'll see you later" she replied smiling as she walked away.

* * *

Anna walked through the castle as she always used to. A slight smile had been drawn on her face since her return. The tightness that lingered in her chest for hours after leaving hell every morning was almost imperceptible. Even the rooms she had visited seemed more cheerful that day. The only thing that powerfully caught her attention was the vast number of guards who had been deployed all over the place.

She had barely finished asking herself that question when she heard footsteps in the corridor she had just left. She stopped, thinking it must be another guard. But that person's steps were interrupted too. She started again and stopped again, whoever was wandering the other corridor followed suit. Anna stepped back and made her way to the corridor with her hand on the hilt of a small dagger. There was nobody there. But on closer inspection, she detected a slight movement in one of the curtains that covered the third window on the right.

The long, heavy red fabric barely trembled for a few seconds but was detected by the Princess who approached stealthily.

Removing the curtain violently she found a frightened Queen staring at her in fear.

"What are you doing here?"

"I can't stand being locked up anymore! I want to go back to my home" she answered trembling.

"You Highness!"

A soldier approached the Princess, calling her. Without thinking she closed the curtains, hiding the woman behind her.

"What do you want?" she asked coldly.

"The queen has escaped"

"Got damn!" the girl pretended to be mad at the news "Double the vigilance in the corridors leading to the front door, she will surely try to escape through there. I will search the towers. Does my brother know?"

"Yes... yes, milady. He went to look for the warlock"

"Good. Go and follow my orders"

With a bow, the guard withdrew.

When she unveiled the hidden woman, Silje returned a surprised look.

"Why did you do that?"

"Let's say you remind me of someone who puts me in a good mood" she commented sullenly as her mind frantically searched for a way to get the Queen out of there.

Anna took her by the arm and practically dragged her down the hall. She had sent most of the guards to the front door so there would have to be fewer men guarding the door than in her childhood she used to escape from her brother. It was her only chance to get out of the castle. After that, the Queen would be on her own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm realizing that this is not a slow burn fic, but like a fic where they take a long time to find each other. Because the girls only want to jump eachother bones right away xd


	12. The Rescue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When faced with the situation of having to choose between her brother and Elsa, what would Anna do?

After searching through several rooms and finding them empty, Merik and Kristoff entered a large hall. One more of the many that must have been dispersed around the castle. At the end of the huge room filled with disused furniture and old pots was a heavy cedar door studded with thick metal wedges. It looked very rustic compared to the rest but, if they didn't want to retrace their steps they had to cross it.

The door made a shrill screech when Merik opened it. On the other side there was only a long hallway that was used as a deposit since there were stacked paintings full of dust and furniture covered with white fabrics.

Slowly, the knight stepped forward.

"Wait here, Kristoff, I'll see if it's safe for you"

Kristoff remained on the other side of the door as Merik entered the gloomy corridor.

A small window at the end filtered a dim light that illuminated only the exit.

The knight walked slowly, looking both ways as if expecting to be attacked at any moment. Nothing moved. As he walked, a dense cloud of dust rose and made it difficult for him to breathe and see. He narrowed his eyes to try and see and when he was about to turn to call Kristoff, the door he had entered closed with a crash. A cold white hand landed on his shoulder, spinning him rapidly. What he saw paralyzed the knight from head to toes. A man whose tattered skin was staring at him with the pale white of his dead eyes.

"You let me die" he said, trying to step closer to Merik.

His putrid breath hit the knight's face as he began to back away.

"Because of you they murdered me and now you will pay"

The corpse in front of him moved closer, his bones joined by the flesh fraying in front of his eyes.

"It wasn't my fault" Merik stuttered as he finally regained his voice.

"You took us away from our daughter"

Behind him appeared a woman who looked just like the man in front of him. Her veiled eyes still carried blue streaks that in the past shone brightly.

Merik fell to his knees in the dusty corridor, overwhelmed by the memories brought by those images of a horrendous past.

"I'm sorry!" he shouted, on the verge of tears "There is no night that I don't dream of that night" he lamented "By God, I'm sorry..."

The apparitions continued to grow closer, their tattered robes creeping across the dusty floor, leaving no footprint in the dust on the floor but they looked very real. The cold in the room increased as the distance between them and the knight was shortened. Each step they took, each movement, was accompanied by a series of strange noises, their flesh ripped apart and the smell was almost unbearable.

"It can't be..." Merik whispered taking his head "this can't be happening..., no..., nooo"

It was there that, out of the corner of his eye, the knight spotted a circle of wood resting against the wall between two fallen pictures. It had the same symbol as the one they had seen in the first room they entered.

It must have been another curse. He crawled over to where his sword had fallen moments before and launched himself onto the piece of wood. The Namtarum's talisman, the container of curses, fell apart as the blade of his sword pierced it through the very center.

Merik remained a few seconds with his eyes tightly closed, when he found the courage to open them, the ghosts were no longer there. He sat up and brought a hand to his chest, his heart seemed to want to escape from within.

_Damn, we must get out of here fast. _He thought as he got up.

He searched for Kristoff, who had struggled, tirelessly but in vain, to open the door and made their way back. The memories of the past, brought back anew by that curse, still hurt the noble knight's soul.

* * *

Agnes had come across a series of empty passageways. She didn't believe that the Queen could be near, she didn't feel her presence in the surroundings, nor that of any guard. What kept her alert was a dark aura that was very close, just a few rooms beyond where she was.

It was difficult to describe, even for her, what she perceived from that place. She felt movements but no sign of life. As she got closer, she was repelled by a strange energy seeping through the door. It was very powerful magic that they had locked up there and it was probably protecting something very important. She couldn't let this opportunity pass, whatever was in there could give them a great advantage in case of facing the person who had summoned the curse they just suffered.

As much as Agnes was an extremely pacifist person, she couldn't ignore that her kingdom needed all the possible help in the war against Duatros so she took a deep breath, trying to muster up all the courage she possessed, and entered the room.

It looked like the rest rooms she had entered so far, an abandoned place with some armchairs near the walls, there were a couple of mirrors unable to reflect anything due to the thick layer of dust that covered them. Horrendous pictures of grumpy old women, dressed in funny dresses, hung on the walls.

The only thing out of the ordinary were the hundreds of candles of different sizes that remained lit in every corner of the room. The orange light given off by the dancing flames gave an unreal movement to the shadows they created. Agnes looked around the place, then walked to a small table in the center. In it rested a heavy book with yellowed pages that was impossible to read.

_Could it be that her intuition had failed her this time?_ She wondered as she returned to the door she had entered through, when something stopped her. Her foot had been glued to the floor without her doing anything to move it.

Despite her efforts, her foot wasn't giving an inch and she soon found out why. She looked at the book, it still remained on the small table but now seemed to be moving, trembling weakly against the wood that supported it. Strange hisses and murmurs filled the room to the point of looking like a swarm of bees buzzing near their hive. With a thunderous thump, the book opened in one of its passages and the words on them began to move frantically.

The sorceress felt as if a cold hand grasped the leg she couldn't move, clinging to the old, faded carpet. She looked down quickly but saw nothing, however the cold was still spreading through her body and it had already taken her other leg. She sensed movements behind her but when she turned her head and saw nothing. She still believed that something was hiding there but she was confused, she didn't know this kind of magic, it was too dark.

Until, suddenly, she understood what was happening.

"Shadows" she muttered under her breath.

She closed her eyes tight and began to sing a song. The protective song her father had taught her when she was little and she was afraid of the dark. A golden light drew a small circle around the woman, casting intense light of the same color. Affected by the light radiating from the spell, the shadows slipped away and hid behind the furniture and in remote corners. Occasionally they tried to get closer but were repelled again. Agnes was relieved when the heat returned to her body, but she didn't know how much longer she could stay like this.

* * *

Elsa was walking with her sword up in the desert corridor. She was surprised she hadn't encountered resistance so far, but she was ready anyway. If the guards were waiting for a rescue party, that must be in Silje's room.

But she could also be wrong. Elsa's body froze when she heard footsteps in the next corridor. They were fast and, due to the heaviness of their steps, also heavily armed. She had no time to hide or flee, so she prepared to fight, sliding her index finger over the blade of her sword, ice crystals covered the metal. It was then that she came face to face with six men. The girl adopted her combat pose only to have the men in front of her taunt her.

"Our king informed us that there were intruders in the castle" said one of them "But he didn't tell us that it was just a girl"

"A girl your dear king fears" Elsa challenged with a smirk on her lips. “If not, why would he send six big and strong men to find me?”

If there was one thing the young woman knew how to do very well, it was to anger the wrong people, but she wouldn't do it if she couldn't fight them.

* * *

Anna was dragging the Queen through the deserted hallways and empty rooms. They had been lucky so far because no one had seen them. Silje let herself be guided, she knew that she wouldn't have a chance against the trained warrior, but so far the Princess of Duatros had been only kind to her. She would take her out of the castle, then she'll see what to do. The prospect of regaining freedom seemed increasingly possible.

They had covered a good way when the young woman suddenly stopped. After a few moments, the Queen knew the reason. Not far from there, a battle was taking place. The echoes of metal clashing and voices reached her ears.

The princess tensed.

"Stay here" she indicated opening one of the doors they had passed.

"Don't leave this broom closet until I come back for you"

She nodded. The Queen didn't really want to disobey her so she waited there, trying to hear something of what was happening outside.

Anna walked over to where the noises were coming from. It seemed that a dozen men were fighting wildly as she could hear the howls of pain from several wounded. As she passed the corner of the corridor, the image that formed in her imagination became much more real and unexpected.

A petite young woman had decimated five men who were lying unconscious on the ground and she was driving her sword into the chest of the last warrior when Anna recognized her.

Elsa saw the astonished redhead who was watching her with her eyes wide with amazement, but she didn't lower her guard despite knowing who she was. In that moment, they were enemies.

"It had to be you" Anna said wearily, recovering her usual calm.

"Get out of my way or I will have to kill you"

Before answering, the princess's gaze fell on the girl's arm where her clothes showed a deep cut near the hand, which was bleeding profusely.

"You're hurt" she said trying to get closer, but Elsa backed away with her sword still raised "Look, I have no intention of fighting you, I just want to help you"

"You are one of them, I can't trust you"

"Elsa, please..."

It was the first time she had heard her name in that young woman's voice and it took her by surprise. So much so, that she didn't hear the hurried footsteps of the new horde of soldiers who were coming to meet her.

"Come!"

Without thinking, Anna had taken Elsa's hand and led her to one of the nearest windows. The wide sill provided a perfect hiding place as the heavy curtains reached down to the floor and, just as they had with Silje, concealed all traces of their presence there.

"What are you doing?" Elsa whispered, struggling to get free.

The woman with long red hair wrapped her arms around her to prevent her from escaping and whispered in her ear.

"I know you prefer to stay and fight, but there are times when you have to hide"

The girl relaxed her body against the princess and ceased her attempts to escape.

"There you go, you'll have to trust me on this" she said as she released her.

In silence they waited for the danger to pass. The soldiers walked down the corridor without realizing that they were both hiding so close to them.

"Now what?"

"Come with me, I think I know why you're here"

They left their hiding place at full speed and, taking care not to be seen, they reached the closet where the motive for Elsa's intrusion into Duatros Castle was found.

"The Queen?" she asked in surprise.

"It turns out Vanaheim's women of have decided to complicate my day" Anna smiled "Now get out of here"

Silje emerged from her hiding place with her gaze fixed on the young woman in front of her. Her face was too familiar.

"What will you do?" the girl asked Anna, grabbing her hand before she could walk away.

"I can't come with you” she answered, tightening her hold on Elsa to quickly let her go. “Please take care of yourselves"

Elsa nodded and addressed Silje.

"It's a real shame to meet you under these circumstances, Queen Silje, but we must hurry if we want to leave this place"

The two women began running towards the cellar where Elsa and the others had to meet. They had several corridors covered when an explosion stopped their walk.

"Agnes" Elsa murmured.

"Who's Agnes?"

The powerful outburst was heard again, coming from a nearby room.

"Come with me" she told the Queen and followed the strange sounds that were heard at the end of the hall.

When she opened the door, she was met with a chilling image. Near a wall, the sorceress was surrounded by a luminous golden circle, casting spells as fast as she could. But it enough, an army of shadows pounced on her incessantly.

"Don't enter!" Agnes yelled when Elsa tried to help her.

The girl watched helplessly as the shadows, like huge dark tongues, struck hard at the enchantress's luminous shield protecting Agnes.

She didn't have to think too much, she knew there was only one way to drive away the shadows... light. She took one of her arrows, she didn't have many left.

"Nidur Ken"

When the lighted arrow shot out, it soared through the air, chasing away the dark figures moving everywhere, and embedded itself near the circle Agnes had drawn.

"It won't be enough" she heard Silje say behind her.

"The book" the woman inside the golden circle pointed to an ancient book that was on a table not far from her. Using the same spell, the next arrow she fired with her bow was aimed at that mass of paper that was frantically moving. The moment the fire began to consume its pages, the entities that attacked the sorcerer retreated until they barely surrounded the burning book.

Agnes ran out of the room and joined Elsa and Silje who were waiting at the door.

"This place is very dangerous" she told them, breathing hard.

Without worrying too much about being seen, the three women fled.

"We have to find Merik and Kristoff" said the young woman who refused to descend the stairs that led to the exit.

"We told you not to wait for us" reproached the knight who had reached them at that precise moment. His face was pale but he didn't look hurt. Kristoff was running behind and was also in good health.

"Merik!" Silje, recognizing the man, threw herself into his arms "I knew Eirik would send someone to get me"

"It is not what you think, your Majesty" he told her "Now let's get out of here. I'll explain later"

They scurried away through the stables where they took three sturdy steeds and fled. The gods had smiled upon them that morning as, despite everything, they had been able to rescue Silje without suffering more than minor injuries.

They didn't cross the city while escaping, Merik decided that it would be wiser to surround Duatros and reach the bridge by the southern road. By now, the most important citadel in the kingdom must be infested with warriors in search of their heads. They couldn't stop to rest, they would try to reach Kimma in half the time they previously covered, it was the only town they knew there and their only way out of the kingdom.

* * *

"What do you mean she escaped?!!"

Hans's eyes were full of anger, all his plans had been cut short by a young girl who should be dead.

"Where's my useless sister?" He barked as he walked the main courtyard of the castle, he had spent the entire morning looking for the intruders himself and the frustration of not having found them made him even more violent.

"I was in my room, as always" the Princess reminded her as she approached.

"You were locked in the tower while all this was going on?" the veins in the king's temple told her that he was trying very hard to control his temperament, his wild gaze glaring at her..

"You always tell me not to wander around the castle" the young woman tried to explain, trying to hide the joy she felt inside. She never thought that disobeying her brother's orders would bring her so much satisfaction.

"Sir!" a scrawny guard came running from the village. "An old woman said she heard the intruders' plans. She thinks they are headed for Kimma.

"You will believe an old woman?" Anna questioned.

"It is the only clue I have" this time, the king of Duatros had a hint of concern in his voice "You stay here and prepare the army for an invasion, I will declare open war to Vanaheim, as I should've done long ago"

"And what will you do?"

"I will go with a group of men to Kimma and murder her with my own hands, that insolent brat. She will curse the day she decided to challenge me"

The group of soldiers that Hans had gathered in front of the castle gate mobilized behind him. The hooves of the heavy horses echoed, accompanying the footsteps of the Princess who was returning inside to carry out her orders, fervently wishing that Elsa and the Queen had enough time to escape.

* * *

Around the end of the evening the three steeds they had taken from the king's stables arrived, exhausted, at Kimma. The villagers stared at them in surprise as they descended from their mounts and made their way to the tavern where they had last seen Leif.

"What the hell are you doing here?" was the first thing the sailor uttered, looking at them as if they were apparitions in a haunted house.

"We need you to take us to Vanaheim" Elsa said, knowing that Hans was on their heels.

"No... I can't" he replied with fear in his voice "This was not part of the deal"

"What deal?" Merik, enraged as they had never seen him, grabbed Eugene by his clothes and lifted him off the floor, menacingly "Speak!"

"Let go of me and I'll tell you" he said, barely breathing.

With the menacing look still stamped on Merik's face, Eugene began to speak.

"Eirik paid me to bring you here"

"What are you talking about?" Silje began to question, until that moment she had remained silent. "Why?"

"I don't know. I was supposed to bring you to Duatros. Hans was waiting for you, that's what they told me."

The astonishment had settled on everyone's face upon hearing the sailor's account. Merik raised his fist.

"Wait" Elsa said, stopping him "You can still help us"

"But I..." Eugene started.

"Shut up. You will do what I tell you if you don't want Merik to spoil your face"

Eugene swallowed hard and nodded.

"We will set sail right now, we cannot waste any more time."

The blacksmith violently pushed the sailor all the way to the Millena, the vessel rested placidly tied to the docks, just where they had left it. The barge swayed to the rhythm of a calm sea and was boarded without distraction by the group. Under constant threat from Merik's sword, Leif maneuvered as fast as he could and in the blink of an eye they headed out into the open sea where the stars appeared with their faint lights.

Silje paced the deck from side to side, non-stop. She looked nervous.

When he saw that Leif was too frightened to disobey his orders, Merik approached the Queen and called Elsa, who was leaning against the mast, deep in thought.

"We need to talk"

He sighed deeply before beginning the interrogation, he had much to clarify.

"Tell me, your Majesty, do you find anything familiar in this young lady?" he said, pointing to a surprised Elsa.

"What do you mean, Merik?" she looked from the gentleman to the girl. The sighed deeply.

"Your Majesty, this is your younger sister... she is Elsa"

The young woman began to back away, emphatically shaking her head. It was too much to understand. She had spent so many years thinking that her parents had abandoned her, that there was no one in this world who cared about her. Everything changed when she met Merik, Agnes and Kristoff and she began to thank her luck for having them on her side. But hopes of having a family had long since been lost. That woman couldn't be her sister.

"That's impossible, my sister is dead. You were there" denied the Queen without fully grasping what Merik was trying to tell her.

"The last thing I remember is your father, King Agnar, dead. But the little girl wasn't there, Silje."

"It can't be"

"I don't want to think that you had anything to do with all of this"

"I don't know what you're talking about, you know how much I suffered when my parents died"

"Yes, I know. But what Leif just told us confirms what I had long suspected. It was Eirik who planned everything from the beginning"

"Eirik?" Silje said in horror, covering her mouth with her hands.

"Think about it, if Elsa hadn’t disappeared, she would be the queen of Vanaheim"

"Wait a moment" the girl interrupted "You are saying that I..."

"You are the true heir to the throne of Vanaheim" sentenced the knight. "When you were little, your parents named you their successor, even though you weren't their firstborn. Then strange things started to happen inside the castle. You were in danger. So they decided to go into exile with you to save you. I was one of the knights protecting them. One night, a group of mercenaries broke into the village where we were hiding, we tried to flee but they caught up with us. They killed your parents and a large part of the guard that was with them. Those of us who survived were expelled from the kingdom because of our mistake, but we never found the body of the little girl that the king was carrying. I think you could escape, then Kai found you. "

"What you're saying is impossible" the Queen tried again.

"Elsa, show her your sword"

Dubiously, Elsa obeyed.

"What are you doing with Gἑrỡs?" Silje asked.

"Gἑrỡs?"

"When a new heir is born into our family, a very special sword is forged for them. Gἑrỡs means 'the weapon of God'. It is our birth certificate. Who did you steal it from?"

"I haven't stolen anything. When they found me I already had it with me." Elsa replied furiously.

"When did they find you?"

"I don't remember anything before I was five years old. I appeared in a town square, there was snow everywhere. A man found me and I lived with him ever since."

The two women exchanged deep looks full of pain and questions that had been silenced for many years, having lost hope that someone would answer them. But Silje couldn't ignore that the young woman in front of her had features very similar to those of her lost little sister. Her eyes, her hair. Could she have survived?

In the blink of an eye, Silje took the young woman in her arms. Elsa didn't move at first but then gave in to the vehemence of the hug. She also couldn't fully understand what was happening. In just a few seconds she went from being an orphan to being reunited with her sister and the sudden knowledge of being the heir to a kingdom.

The hug lasted only a few seconds, there were still too many things to resolve.

"We must immediately return to Vanaheim" Silje said hastily. "Hans will try to invade the kingdom, we have to alert our people"

"Agnes, the spell to control the wind would be very useful right now" Merik said.

"That enchantment is very strenuous" Elsa intervened "You won't be able to hold it until we get there"

"There is an alternative" the sorceress approached the young woman "But you must help me. It takes at least two people who control magic to open a portal"

"A portal? I didn't know you could do that."

"It requires too much energy, so I don't usually use it"

"We'll have to take the risk. I'm looking forward to meeting this guy Eirik."

"You're not the only one" Silje seemed determined to clarify a few things with her husband.

Without wasting time, Agnes began to teach Elsa the basics of the spell.

"Don't worry, it's not difficult. You just have to focus on where you want to open the exit portal"

"But I don't know Vanaheim. I don't remember..."

The sorceress's eyes narrowed at the sad expression on her face. Many thoughts swirled in her mind, Elsa was still too young to face this destiny.

"Just help me open the portal with your power, I'll do the rest" taking her hand she assured her "No matter what happens when we get to Vanaheim, remember we are with you"

For the first time since she met her, Agnes saw tears welling up in Elsa's eyes, who struggled to hide them. Her pride still kept her from crying but her soul had opened in their journey.

In the distance, Silje watched the young girl closely. She had her father's eyes, there was no doubt, she was her sister. But a new wave of feelings had been unleashed inside the Queen. So many years living with a ruthless and selfish man, so many years of suspicions and forced silences. It would all be over soon. She didn't feel sadness or disappointment at what she had just discovered, she supposed that deep inside she had always known. In fact, she was relieved to realize that her kingdom would no longer be in the hands of such a terrible ruler. Elsa might be inexperienced in royal matters but she was willing to help her. It would be the best for her beloved kingdom, they could rule together.

Even so, a strange emptiness expanded within her, the child she was bearing was part of Eirik too. The little boy would grow up with the weight of his father's mistakes and that was a very heavy burden to carry from birth. She only hoped that her sister would be benevolent to her and her son and allow them to stay in the castle, although she had every right to do otherwise. Her hand caressed her belly that began to grow day by day. The future of both was uncertain but the design of the gods had to be fulfilled.


	13. Homecoming

Hans walked angrily through the corridors of his immense castle. The cloak rippled furiously behind the enraged figure the king. He had just returned from Kimma where, in the distance, he had seen the small boat where his prey was escaping. With enormous force, powered by the anger flowing through his body, he kicked the door of the room where his sister was lying in her bed.

"What are you doing here?" he yelled at the top of his lungs.

"Where was I supposed to be?" the Princess questioned, almost amused. Her brother's humor could only be explained by one thing, he hadn’t reached Elsa. The young woman and the Queen were safe.

Hans glared at her, furious.

"We will take the army to the Kimma docks and set sail immediately for Vanaheim"

Anna's face instantly changed expression. They would deploy the entire war force of Duatros against Vanaheim. She had already seen what such a mobilization of troops could do. They had destroyed entire villages in quick and effective attacks, without too much loss for themselves but with a disastrous end for their enemies. She herself had taken many lives in those battles, something she could never forget.

The most tragic ending she could imagine appeared in her mind, herself mortally wounding Elsa, the only person who had managed to return a smile on her face, after so many years.

"Obey!" her brother growled, grabbing her from her clothes and throwing her on the floor. Although both siblings had the same training, the fury that dominated Hans, added to his bigger physic, had turned him into a wild and dangerous beast.

The young woman sat up and reluctantly carried out the king's orders. When she had already left the room, the king called one of his trusted commanders and, before leaving for what might well be his last battle, gave him an order.

"Keep an eye on Anna, she could ruin everything. I don't trust her."

* * *

Once on the ships, Duatros' fleet set sail for Vanaheim. Their sails fully deployed, propelled the boats at full speed.

On the ship’s deck that led the vast formation of the fleet, numbering fifty powerful galleons, Hans and Anna were gazing at the horizon. Hidden in one of the darkest cabins, the Nigrican paced back and forth. Not only had all his traps failed but his precious book had been destroyed. The Grimoire lay in ashes in the room where he found it. He was facing a very strong sorceress, otherwise it would have been impossible for her to survive her murderous shadows. His fist slammed into the cabin wall, the warlock just wanted revenge.

On deck, the Princess stood undaunted at the helm, her brother pacing up and down the stern tower, visibly nervous.

"No matter how much you walk, we won't get there any faster"

"Shut up, scum" he growled in response "If you had intercepted that girl in time, everything would be different"

"What are you so concerned about that girl?" she asked in the most indifferent tone of voice she could pronounce, "I thought the worst thing that could happen to us was somebody rescuing the queen"

"That is also important, idiot. You would have saved us a lot of trouble if you found her in one of the corridors and killed her"

The image of herself murdering Elsa came back to haunt her thoughts like a blow from a painful reality.

"Don't make that beaten puppy face. The time will come when you will repair your mistakes, you know what I mean"

"Not really. You always had the option to invade Vanaheim, I don't know what stopped you so far"

"The Prophecy" Hans muttered.

Anna watched him from her place, she didn’t understand much what he meant, although she had heard of that prophecy before.

"Do I have to explain everything to you?" he said, pushing her violently against the galleon's helmsman.

"Only if you want me to know what you mean"

"When I was young, the elders told me about a prophecy that had been lost a long time ago. It spoke about a god who had two sons, who inherited the world. But he put a curse on his descendants so that none can take what it belonged to the other. Does that sound familiar to you? "

Anna nodded, she had to suffer through the cursed every night but never thought it was the same prophecy Hans was talking about.

"That is the part you know. What you don’t know is that this god did more than protect the world through a curse. The prophecy speaks of a chosen one who will be born on the summer solstice, and who will come to this world to restore order. "

Hans released her and leaned his heavy body against the railing of the vessel and with his arms crossed, he continued.

"The only thing that has stopped me until now was the whereabouts of the chosen one. Now that I have found him I will kill him even if he is still in his mother's womb, along with the rest of the of Vanaheim’s citizens"

A cold laugh followed the king's malicious comment.

The Princess turned around not wanting to face her brother, his figure repulsed her.

Now she understood better the deal he had made with Eirik and why he hadn’t kept his word. If the Queen gave birth to the chosen one under Hans' power, the prophecy would no longer be effective. Vanaheim would fall under the edge of Duatros' imperial sword without anyone opposing its power. Now, the Queen had escaped and Hans found a pitfall in his goal of dominating both kingdoms.

* * *

Elsa and Agnes were facing each other right in the center of the Millena's deck. The small ship was speeding steadily toward the kingdom of Vanaheim, but both women were willing to try a more effective alternative. The advantage of a few more days were precious in wartime and now more than ever. Agnes whispered an endless sentence full of strange words. They both spread their arms, forming a circle between them. A strange breeze suddenly rose, disturbing the calm sea. A few purple clouds came to rest on the Millena as it sailed. It seemed that the power of nature around them was concentrated between the two women who were on deck and whose eyes, closed so far, suddenly opened.

They radiated a celestial light that illuminated their faces but the most impressive thing happened in the circle they had formed with their arms. Between their outstretched arms, a snow-white ring of energy began to spin, producing a very soft hum. The circle began to expand progressively until it reached Merik's height. When Elsa and Agnes finally lowered their arms, the ring they had formed out of nowhere vibrated softly. Its interior was completely dark and a powerful energy emanated from inside.

When the glow faded from her eyes, Elsa fell to her knees on the polished boards of the barge. She was exhausted and her legs failed her. Merik rushed to help her to her feet while Leif held Agnes so that she did not suffer the same mishap as the girl; both were in the same exhausted condition.

"We must hurry" said the sorceress "We won’t be able to keep it open for long. As long as it remains active, it will continue to drain our energy"

"Where will it take us?" Silje asked concerned.

"Directly inside Vanaheim Castle" this time it was Elsa who answered. She didn’t remember being there but was able to see the place in detail as the portal opened.

"Perfect" Merik said taking his things. "Elsa, you and Silje must go first"

"Wait, she must stay here and cross with me in the last place. I can't keep the portal open by myself without her help"

"Then you and I will go first, then" he said to the Queen "Agnes and Elsa will cross with Kristoff. Leif, you take the boat to Ezca, in case Hans wants to follow you. Once you arrive you can do whatever you want, just stay out of my sight if you don't want to have a bad time"

Before the sailor could protest, the blacksmith had taken Silje’s hand and together they launched into the blackness of the portal. When the two of them had disappeared, Elsa approached Kristoff, who was shaking like a branch in the harshest winter, and together with Agnes walked into the hole that would lead them to the castle.

Leif saw how, after everyone had left, the portal closed progressively until it was reduced to a whitish dot that disappeared in an instant. The breeze that had risen ceased and the clouds that swirled over the Millena vanished.

* * *

Eirik was slumped on his throne, still bewildered at the events of recent days; worry painted on his emaciated and pale face. He couldn't understand how his plan had collapsed so quickly.

When he began to think that he would no longer see his wife and son, a silver circle formed in the middle of the royal room that rapidly increased in size and began to vibrate. The king didn’t have time to call his guards because as he was getting up from the throne, two people were expelled from the ring. Surprised, he saw a robust man walk in along with Silje and then step aside to make room for three other people, two women and a small child who looked in wonder at the room where he was.

The king was paralyzed in his place but Silje went to meet him.

"You owe me a lot of explanations" she said. Everybody could feel the resentment in her voice, everything she thought she knew had collapsed before her eyes.

"What are you talking about? I have nothing to explain" Eirik said trying to regain control of the situation, although his wife's gaze was silently judging him.

"Got dammit, start talking" Merik intervened, taking him from his robes and dragging him into the middle of the room, coming face to face with the people who had appeared out of nowhere.

"Who are you?" he asked to the young woman who looked alike her wife.

"You know? For a long time I was asking myself that same question and I recently found out that it was all thanks to you"

All the suffering she had endured in those lonely years was reflected in Elsa’s blue eyes, she slowly approached the king.

"Let me introduce myself. My name is Elsa, and I seem to be the legitimate heir to Vanaheim"

Everyone who was present was surprised at the certainty with which those words were spoken.

"Y-You…” the king stammered.

The knight took him from his clothes again and up effortlessly.

"Now explain why you did it"

A sharp sound announced a sword coming out of its sheath. Elsa took Gἑrỡs and nimbly rested her sharp blade on Eirik's neck.

"Speak"

The man had no choice but to confess, he no longer had reasons to keep his secret hidden any longer.

"You were in the way" she said suddenly, "Silje was supposed to be the heir, after all, she's the first born, but your parents didn't think the same. When you were just a baby, they named you as their successor. For me to have the crown that I always wanted, you had to disappear”

Silje watched Eirik horrified by the unscrupulous words that came out of his mouth.

"Then I did the only thing within my reach, I tried to eliminate you, but you seemed immune to the accidents that were happening around you. That was when your parents decided to hide with you, to protect you. The kingdom was left to the council elders, but that would change if the kings died"

"Damn you!" Silje shouted through tears "You destroyed my family and you’re trying to do the same with my kingdom"

"You should thank me!" replied the man sardonically "if it wasn't for me, you would never have become Queen"

Silje tried to hit him fury but Agnes stopped her.

"It's not worth it, my lady"

"I still don't understand why they named me heir" said Elsa, who kept her sword in the king's neck "I was just a baby when they did it"

"I heard your parents talking about a prophecy, that they should protect you until you fulfill your destiny. I never knew what the hell they were talking about but surely it was an excuse to fulfill their whims, putting the crown were I couldn’t reach it"

But the rest of them understood perfectly.

Elsa's face suddenly became expressionless, she remembered her passage through the Ezca’s cave and that strange golden tablet. When she returned from her memories, she discovered her friends watching her curiously.

"Wait a minute. Do you believe…?"

"Too many coincidences" the blacksmith began, but he was interrupted by the young woman, overwhelmed by what she had just heard.

"It can't be. I thought she was referring to the baby" she said, pointing to Silje. "I thought that was the reason they were holding her captive."

With all possibility of getting away with his sin, Eirik decided to tell his truth.

"I planned to have Silje kidnapped when I found out that you were still alive. I knew that with a reward like the one I was offering, you would go to Duatros. Hans was the one who offered to kill you in exchange for the northern lands. That way I would get rid of you. Once and for all"

"But Hans didn’t do it for the northern lands. You sent your own men to perdition, they were ambushed in Ezca!" Merik yelled, enraged by the ineptitude of the man in front of him.

"I didn't plan it like that" he tried to excuse himself "Hans didn't follow the plan, I don't know why…"

"Because he wanted to murder me" Elsa said, her gaze fixed on the gigantic banner that hung behind Eirik's opulent throne. The symbol of Vanaheim with its powerful lions lay imposing before the entire enclosure.

"He knows about the prophecy" she continued almost in a whisper "He believes that if I am not on his way, he will be able to conquer all he wants. Still, I cannot believe that I was the one who that tablet spoke about"

Elsa turned around and addressed Agnes.

"You said that the Queen's son was destined for great things"

"And I stand by it, but that doesn’t mean that it is you who is destined to restore the balance of the world"

With a lost look, the girl began to review in her mind every word she remembered from the prophecy. Then she fixed his eyes on the queen.

"Was I born…?”

"One night with a full moon, on the summer solstice" she answered.

"Four guardians will forge their destiny…" she muttered she looked at the faces of Merik, Agnes and finally Kristoff "Four…"

"Anna" Agnes told her solemnly, answering with a smile the question in Elsa’s mind "There’s no doubt, it's you"

* * *

Four days had passed since Hans sailed with his entire army from Kimma. That afternoon, by the light of a tiny candle that was fighting to keep its flame burning, three people were gathered at a small round table. In the ship's cabin, Anna, the warlock, and the king of Duatros discussed their future actions.

The past days had been terrible for the crew, Hans was nervous and violent, he had already thrown at least eight men overboard for no reason.

He knew the hour was drawing near, what he had expected since the first time he heard that prophecy. He longed to see his hands stained with the young girl's blood but had a better idea. His eyes reflected an evil glow of self-sufficiency at his wicked plan.

Having received the king's orders, Eylack returned to the darkest corner of the ship where he used to stay all day, avoiding the sunlight. His master had granted him his most fervent wish, he would be in charge of killing the sorceress and he already fantasized about the slow torture she would undergo before leaving her to die. She would pay to have destroyed his precious Grimoire.

Anna headed for the deck, she was a little groggy and she needed some fresh air. Moments earlier, in the cabin, she had felt suffocated and her chest ached strongly as if she were about to enter hell again, but there were still a few hours before that. The reason for her discomfort was very different. The feeling of suffocation fell upon her as her brother rejoiced in recounting how he would kill Elsa. The young woman's face ran through her memories over and over. Before, she used to ignore Hans's cruelty, but at that moment she felt disgusted. She felt a strong urge to stop him there and now and fervently wished for his death in exchange for the Elsa’s. Now, on deck and with the salty wind hitting her face directly, she felt like a traitor, to her brother and herself, although she still didn't know which guilt was worse.

* * *

"Your Majesty, there are about fifty galleons approaching from the northeast. They’re approaching at high speed."

"Order everyone take their positions and be ready for my signal"

The messenger bowed to the Queen and left the royal room. Elsa rose from the throne that a few days before she had begun to occupy. Her blue robe reaching the carpet that covered the steps of the dais. On the adjoining throne, Silje watched her proudly. In just seven days she had organized, along with Merik, the defenses of Vahaneim citadel. She just prayed that everything would go as planned and that their people suffer as little damage as possible.

Elsa walked slowly around the room to approach Merik. The knight in his shining armor held an important place within the court of the new Queen; the young woman had appointed Agnes and her faithful friend as royal advisers.

"We must be ready"

Merik dropped to his knees, accepting orders, and went to follow his orders as he would handle the resistance on the coast. Each step carefully planned in detail, yet there were details Elsa had protested about, she had to stay in the castle and in spite of herself she had to accept that Merik was right. She couldn’t risk dying in battle when her destiny was to face Hans.

The responsibility that fell on her shoulders didn't bother her, somehow she always knew that. She felt ready. Each portion of her journey to rescue Silje took on a different meaning for her over the past few days. Everything she’d learned, now she knew, helped her prepare for this moment.

Elsa walked to a window looking down at the vast city of Vanaheim in all its glory. The castle was at an elevation so the greatness of her kingdom was easy to see from there. In every corner she saw the villagers preparing for the impending invasion. They had protected their houses and created barricades to protect their families. Elsa hoped that all of this wasn’t necessary. Merik had to stop them on the coast, knights from all over the kingdom had arrived to the city in the previous days to protect their new Queen and their forces had multiplied. She knew that many lives would be lost in this battle but it was her duty to take the most important, the life that would end this ear. Her people counted on it.

In the distance she caught sight of the groups of men moving through the streets, heading for the port. The catapults were arranged on the docks, ready to attack. The suit of armor gleamed in the intense sunlight of that afternoon. The gods would take care of her warriors that day. Merik was in that sea of silver metals and she was sure that his noble and valiant heart would keep him out of danger.

When a line of small dark spots appeared on the sea-covered horizon, she became truly aware of what fate had in store for them. She turned and looked for little Kristoff, one of the few remaining in the royal room.

"Come here" she told him, extending her hand and hugging the boy when he reached her, "I know you don't like the idea, but you must hide now. Go up to the tower where your room is and stay there until it's all over"

"But I want to help you" he grumbled pleadingly.

"We’ve already talked about this, Kristoff. It is very dangerous for you to stay here. Don't worry, everything will be fine"

Saying goodbye with another strong hug, she handed him to Silje. They were very important people to her and she would protect them both at all costs.

When the boy had left the room, the young woman began to put on her armor with the help of her page. The suit of armor had been made especially for her, with golden ornaments and engraved details embellishing it even more.

Once in its place, Elsa had to accept that she looked quite imposing. The last person remaining there approached the Queen.

"You've come a long way, take good care of yourself. You deserve to be able to enjoy all of this."

Elsa noticed how Agnes spoke to her in a voice full of affection and, for the first time in a long time, the young woman gave in to her impulses and hugged the sorceress in a strong and heartfelt hug.

"Take care of yourself too" said the girl "You still have a lot to teach me"

The woman nodded with a huge smile. The long golden curls that framed her face and her emerald green eyes seemed to shine brighter that afternoon.

"I will. I know exactly what my place is, I will fulfill my mission in this battle."


	14. The Final Guardian

"Everything is ready. When you give the signal, seven of the galleons will approach the beach, the rest will attack through the docks"

Anna gave the last details to her brother who, together with Eylack, was waiting in the cabin.

"Good. No matter how much they have prepared, no one can resist Duatros’ military force" the king smiled with perverse pleasure at his assertion.

"My lord, will the generals be able to fight without your orders?" Eylack asked in his disgustingly sweet, flattering voice.

"Of course, they are experienced warriors. Besides, if we are successful in our mission, what happen with the warriors doesn’t matter to me"

The two siblings were already dressed in their armor; the warlock however, only wore his long dark cloak. The group of three was ready to leave the ship, but they would take a different path from the rest of the troops.

"Give the order for the invasion to begin. Then come back here immediately," Hans ordered and Anna complied with the order she received without hesitation.

The girl, after thinking tirelessly, had finally chosen. She had understood that her place in the world was a matter of her own choosing and would hold firm to her decision. Minutes later, when each soldier and each shotnar were in their post, Anna returned.

Eylack winced at her arrival, then retreated to the darkest corner.

"Follow me," he said from the shadows.

They both stepped into the shadows surrounding the warlock and visions came to the as they walked the path of shadows. The souls of the damned watched, pleading, as they traversed the shortcut through the underworld. The echo of wailing and screaming pain followed them even as they emerged from the shadows into a small room filled with silverware and crystal goblets. They were inside Vanaheim castle.

"You come with me" Hans said to his sister, pushing her towards the door. "And you," addressing Eylack "you know what to do".

The sorcerer nodded, the moment he’d set foot in the castle, he had sensed the presence of the person he was looking for. Suddenly, the warlock was enveloped in a purple and vibrant aura as he left the room in search of his prey.

He walked through a couple of corridors until he found a tall white door. He could feel her on the other side. She couldn't hide for much longer, he thought with delight as he burst into the room.

Agnes was sitting on the dais steps in the throne room.

"I was waiting for you" she said smiling as she stood up. Eylack was surprised but was quick to react. As soon as the sorceress had taken a few steps, he screamed:

"You will pay for what you did to my book"

Agnes's vision was tinged with red, much like blood. She could barely move. The curse Eylack had placed on her drained her energy little by little. The woman smiled.

"I've seen this trick before. _Keown Wyn_" she whispered.

Snow white light covered her body causing the curse to break into a wave of energy around her.

"Now it's my turn. Krias Bren!"

The ball of energy hit Eylack's chest in a clean, sure hit. But its effect was null. He laughed.

"With that kind of magic you won't be able to scratch the surface of my cloak" His laughter filled the room again, echoing between the columns of the long hall.

"Even though you have destroyed my book, I still have some things I can teach you"

He extended his arms to its fullest.

"My beasts want to meet you"

At this point, the warlock's voice was a strange sound that was far from any human voice. His eyes were completely black and the veins in his temple were visible through his pale skin. Followed by a tremor that shook the floor, the warlock’s robes slowly opened. Two figures seemed to emerge from within Eylack itself. But they weren't the shotnar Agnes would have expected, they were much more horrible things. Two completely deformed and rotting golems appeared in the room. Their bodies were made of flaps of putrid meat that fell to shreds as they approached Agnes.

"You know, your creatures are disgusting" the woman replied, frowning in evident disgust. "Now the floor is a mess. Dexio Faer!"

It seemed that Agnes had been holding the power of the wind in the palms of her hands. When they were outstretched and heading for the golems, a fierce and relentless gale came toward them.

Although the sorceress knew it was a difficult spell to control, she didn’t hesitate for a second to increase her power to the maximum. She concentrated her energy on a gust of wind so strong that it propelled the creatures against the nearest wall. Crashing into the solid surface, the golems were destroyed in a thousand pieces.

"I hope you don't invite any more of your stinky friends. This is between you and me" said an Agnes gasping from the effort but happy to see the amazement reflected on her opponent's face.

* * *

Merik turned to the castle. In the distance, the giant structure made of white stone stood near the clouds. His hands and sword were stained with blood. He, along with the other warriors in Vanaheim, had withstood the invaders' first attack. He was relieved but more than anything, surprised. He never imagined witnessing what he had seen moments before.

The first wave of warriors came ashore in dozens of small boats. The wild soldiers attacked ruthlessly. The echo of the battle still rang in his ears, brought by every wave that came ashore. Vanaheim's army, waiting in the bay, was larger. Many men from different villages had joined them to resist the invasion. This was how the first wave of men was repelled. When Merik started to gather his knights again to face the second group of men approaching, nothing happened. The boats carrying the warriors from the galleons to the coast had stopped midway. The blacksmith looked around for the docks in the harbor. The three boats that had tried to moor there burned under powerful flames that unfolded on the decks, covering the sails and the hull, at the risk of sinking at any moment. The knights that remained alive belonged to Vanaheim.

Still, Merik couldn't understand what had happened to the rest of Duatros's men who were watching them from the crowded little boats.

It can't be, he thought as he looked up at the castle.

"Dear god" he said suddenly "Degorios, come here!"

A tall, dark-haired and muscular knight approached him.

"Gather twenty of your best men, we have to get to the castle. The queen is in danger”

* * *

Anna and Hans climbed the steps of one of the towers, three steps at a time. Their armor clattered against the stone beneath their feet.

"Where are we going?" the princess asked between gasps, that staircase seemed to have no end.

"She's hidden up there, I know it"

"How can you know? It will be more useful for me to look elsewhere"

"I just know" Hans, losing his patience, stopped abruptly and pushed his sister against the wall. "I feel her presence. The brat is at the top of this staircase and you will come with me"

The girl couldn’t contradict him, she ducked her head and followed him to the top of the stairs where a trap door awaited them.

"You won't get away this time…" Hans muttered as he opened the door. The blinding sunlight received them as they passed through it.

It was a watchtower, the stone blocks that formed its roof gave way to the wide clear sky of the afternoon. When the sibling’s sight adjusted to sun light, they made out a slender figure watching them from the other end of the tower.

"I was waiting for you" Elsa said. Her voice sounded calm and confident.

"Hell be damned, I finally found you"

Hans' face, furrowed by a horrendous and deep scar, was deformed as he smiled at his imminent victory. There was no one to take him away from his target anymore. She was alone, without the guardians that the prophecy spoke of.

"You don't have anyone to protect you this time" he scoffed "Anna…"

The young woman turned at the sound of her name. She watched the outline of the monster that called himself king, the one his mother once feared and, silhouetted against the blue sky behind him. His eyes were full of evil.

"It’s time you show me which side you are on. Kill her"

Elsa, in the distance, smiled. Such a ruthless reaction was to be expected.

"Tell me, girl, where are your guardians when you need them?" Hans mocked her.

"My guardians have already fulfilled their role. They gave me everything I needed to beat you. Now, everything depends on me”

The princess had begun to close the distance that separated her from Elsa.

"You’re alone, you have nothing" Hans exclaimed maliciously.

"You're wrong" Anna said as she stopped a few steps from Elsa "She has me"

She drew her sword and launched herself against her brother who managed to raise his sword just as a deadly thrust was launched at him.

"I always knew you were a traitorous coward" Hans yelled.

"The traitor is you, you will pay for what you did to our father"

The princess prepared to attack again but this time he was waiting for her.

* * *

Agnes watched the corpse of the warlock laying in the middle of the throne room. Everything around him was destroyed. The tattered clothes clung to her body from the sweat and the effort of the fight.

The Nigrican had been a formidable adversary and, as her natural enemy, it had been very difficult to defeat him. Proof of this was on her shoulder, where a deep slash still oozed the venom that he had thrown at her between spells.

More than once she thought she was about to be devoured by the shadows he had summoned. Luckily, she had the advantage that of knowing the terrain in which the battle was taking place, the royal hall was very well lit and Eylack, feeding on the darkness, was at a disadvantage from the beginning.

She smirked at her accomplishment but there was still something important to do. Although she had used most of her energy to defeat the warlock, she hurried to the castle tower.

* * *

Merik and twenty other men were speeding through the streets of the citadel. Like Agnes, his mind was elsewhere, in the tower where he knew Elsa would be waiting for Hans and if her assumptions were correct, he was already there.

He hastened his steps. His heart seemed to want to escape through the breastplate of his armor. He had to arrive as soon as possible, this time he would not fail her.

* * *

"It’s useless for you to continue with this" Hans was saying to his sister between the sounds of their sharp weapons colliding "My army will destroy you sooner or later"

"That is one of your many mistakes" the girl laughed "You never cared for what your people wanted, and they want peace"

"I decide what they want!"

"That's another one of your mistakes. Look to the coast"

Keeping his guard up, the King of Duatros spotted his forces in a side glance. Contrary to what he had expected to see, there was no battle going on at the moment. Three of his galleons, the ones that moored in the port, were huge fireballs that floated precariously near the coast. The rest of his men, still in the boats, remained motionless.

"What the hell are they doing?"

"They are choosing" Elsa replied calmly. She was also looking at the same image as Hans and was smiling widely.

"What are they choosing?"

"Between a life of war and a peaceful and happy existence. Your people are smarter than you thought. They have chosen their own destiny"

"That's right, starting with not following your orders" Anna added.

"Damn bastard" he howled angrily and attacked the young woman with all his might.

Hans and Anna began to fight fiercely. The two warriors fought to the death knowing exactly how much was at stake. Elsa also drew her sword, it was HER obligation to finish him off so she joined the fray.

The two young women were very good but Hans escaped easily from their attacks. With an agile movement he pushed Anna who lost her balance and collapsed on the ground. With the back of his hand he hit Elsa's face hard and she also fell. The princess stood up quickly as her brother tightened his grip on her sword and approached the blonde. But the man was waiting for her. He parried the blade of his younger sister's sword, lowering her guard. Then, with a cold smile on his face, he plunged the edge of his weapon into the young woman's body.

Elsa watched as the king's sword pierced Anna's abdomen and felt a throbbing pain in her chest that grew in a matter of seconds, spreading throughout her entire body. She felt Anna’s pain. Instinctively, she crawled to the bow and arrows she had left nearby in case she need them. She didn't even stand up to shoot more comfortably, she just tightened the bowstring to the maximum. Blue flames began to burn at the tip of the arrow that she had chosen, but she didn’t notice. The only thing in her sight was the image of Hans attacking Anna, one of her guardians.

The energy flowing through her body was about to spiral out of control. It was a mixture of anger and revenge, but nothing stronger than the pain and anguish for the girl who remained motionless with the cold steel piercing her body.

"You shouldn't have taken this path" Elsa muttered under her breath "Now… you'll pay for it!"

She hadn't finished saying the emotionally charged phrase when the arrow shot out, wrapped in a beam of blue light.

Hans's smile was instantly erased. The arrow embedded deep into his chest and blue fractals spread throughout his body, freezing him completely.

Anna, despite the pain that threatened to take away her consciousness, extracted the Hans’s sword from her own body and dealt a critical blow to the frozen figure that used to be her brother. The king of Duatros fell apart into thousands of pieces that scattered on the tower floor. The afternoon sun immediately began to melt the pieces away. Hans had finally been defeated.

The Princess fell heavily on her knees, unable to hold herself upright.

Elsa ran and reached for her before the rest of her body hit the floor.

Agnes and Merik, who had met on the way to the tower, quickly climbed the last steps and opened the trap door with a thunderous knock. Outside they found Elsa who was holding a dying Anna in her arms. They were both wounded but the Princess had taken the worst part.

The sorceress knelt beside them as Elsa caressed the girl's face gently.

"I will help you heal her, everything will be fine" Agnes said in a whisper.

Elsa carefully laid Anna on the floor of the tower and took the saddlebag with water that Agnes gave her. They spread their hands over the convalescent girl and began to enchant the clear liquid, giving it healing powers. Between the two women, they managed to restore the young princess's health until she was able to stand up on her own. Their wound was deep so it took them a long time to get heal her, when they looked up they found Silje and Kristoff looking worried but happy that it was all over.

When Anna sat up, she tried to take a few steps but was still weak and wobbled slightly. Everyone tried to assist the young woman but Elsa was there to support her.

"I'll help you walk," she said in her ear.

The girl smiled and put her arms around Elsa's shoulders, pulling her closer to her.

* * *

"They’re ready for you" Merik said, straightening himself with satisfaction at the new queen's step.

Elsa gave him a bright smile as she went to one of the castle's balconies that overlooked the royal gardens, where all her people were waiting for her.

The blacksmith remembered how fast they had climbed those stairs the day before, he still couldn't recover from the wave of relief that assailed him upon seeing the girl safe and sound. Now, he saw her about to address to her people in a wonderful white robe that had taken hours to convince her to wear, and he couldn't be prouder.

As part of her entourage, he followed her to the balcony with Agnes who walked holding on to the knight's arm, and Kristoff who led Silje by the hand. Before crossing the door, Merik stopped and put his index finger on the last member of the group walking behind him.

"If I ever see her suffer because of you, then you will know me angry. I will be watching you"

Anna smiled frankly. The knight’s concern for Elsa was admirable.

"Don't worry, I would never hurt her"

"Good" said the knight seriously and with a nod he continued on his way.

"You shouldn't speak like that to the Queen of Duatros" Agnes whispered in his ear.

"That young lady better keep her word or there won't be a crown that stops me from kicking her royal butt"

The sorceress tried to hide the laugh that was trying to get out of her mouth at Merik's overprotective attitude.

"Welcome" Elsa said, loud and clear, to the crowd that had gathered at the foot of the balcony. A few Duatros soldiers were also there.

"I know that you are aware of the events of the last days" the murmurs ran through the sea of people who had come to the castle gardens "Many of you still cannot believe that I’m alive, having lived so long under the lies of Eirik, that’s why I'm here today…”

Kristoff approached Elsa holding Gἑrỡs in his hands. The girl took it carefully, only now she could appreciate the sword for what it really was. She admired it in her hands once more before giving it its true purpose. She extended her arm with the sword towards the sky.

"My name is Elsa, daughter of King Agnar and Queen Iduna, the legitimate heir to the kingdom of Vanaheim!"

When the words left her lips, the young woman felt Gἑrỡs begin to vibrate in her hand.

The blade turned an incandescent red color and strange letters were etched into the metal, it was the language of the ancients: _Inn Helgi Hjalti_ the runes spelled… Holy Sword

Beneath the inscription, the Vanaheim symbol appeared, shining brighter than that morning's sun. Elsa was still in awe when the crowd of people watching the sword erupted in cheers and applause. The hubbub reigned among the villagers as they contemplated their legitimate ruler.

* * *

"You didn't have to come alone" Anna's voice interrupted the silence that had surrounded her for hours in that inhospitable place. Elsa was sitting at the foot of her parents' graves, on one of the hills that surrounded the city. All of Vanaheim was visible from there. The castle, in the distance, stood as a monument of hope and wellness for its people.

"I didn't want to bother you," she said honestly. "Besides, it was something I had to do alone. There were many things I wanted to tell them but, above all, I wanted to apologize. All these years I hated them for abandoning me when all they did was give their lives for me"

"I don't think it's necessary for you to apologize, they would never blame you for surviving" Anna said sitting down next to her and putting his arms around her. They were both silent for a long time.

"How did you know I was on your side?" the Queen of Duatros asked suddenly.

"Why do you think I knew?"

"You were very calm. We were two warriors against a single girl, after all"

Elsa narrowed her eyes in simulated anger.

"First, my dear Queen, I could handle the two of you without any problem. Second, I saw it in your eyes"

"In my eyes?"

"Yes, no matter how hard you try to put on your face of bad and ruthless warrior, your eyes are full of kindness"

"Wow, I didn't know you could say so much about me just by looking me in the eye"

"You learn something new every day" the young woman answered seriously.

Anna laughed.

"You are very special, did you know that?"

"I know, they've even written a prophecy about me"

Elsa couldn't help her good humor to show up. Until then she didn't even know she had one. But Anna didn't bother, she burst out laughing. Elsa laughed too. They were both happy, they had saved both of their kingdoms from a grim and hopeless future.

What weighed on Elsa was not the responsibility of the prophecy but her own past. If she didn't know who she was, she couldn't build her destiny.

Anna's concerns were different, her burden was not knowing how to build that destiny, how to be the Queen her people deserved, but thanks to the girl in her arms that had changed.

The world, since that morning, was different. Each person had awakened with the hope that a new and better future awaited to be written.

** **

**The End (<strike>?</strike>)**


	15. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story was missing something... something spicy. I hope I can quench the thirst for sexy moments with this epilogue.

It had been one month. That’s all she could take, only one month and she had set sail on her fastest vessel in the direction of the kingdom of Vanaheim.

Anna had spent every hour since her return trying to correct her brother's mistakes, rebuilding the kingdom, offering her people some kind of comfort, of hope for their future. But there wasn't a time when she wasn't thinking about her. Elsa.

The blonde had found a way to infiltrate the cracks in her heart and, without warning, she had stayed there. Her reluctant smile, her eyes as clear as a winter morning, her temperament… she missed everything about her.

And now she would see her again. Just a few more hours and she'd be in Vanaheim.

Across the Great Sea, Queen Elsa was not having much better time. In her mind that farewell was still carved in fire in her soul, the time she had stayed on the docks until she no longer saw the ship and a few more hours after that, until Merik managed to get her out of her state and take her back to the castle. Her heart had tightened as she had seen Anna board the ship. Even today, she cursed herself for having hoped that the redhead would stay by her side.

Of course she wouldn’t stay, she also had responsibilities and now had a kingdom to take care of.

"Elsa, you are frowning" said the kind voice of her sister who was looking at her from the desk she had put next to hers. Ruling together was something that had come in handy, without Silje, Elsa wouldn’t have known what to do.

"I am not frowning, I am focused" she replied teasingly.

"Concentrated on the new property law that we want to implement or on a certain Queen from a faraway land?" Elsa didn’t see her but knew that a smile was present on the woman’s face.

"... too far away" she muttered under her breath.

"You know you can go see her, right?" Silje repeated once more, she had already told her several times before when she found her distraught in the corridors of the castle. The Queen cared about her little sister and seeing her suffer for love only made her want to help her, but the stubborn girl refused to be helped. Merik had tried, then Agnes had offered to open a portal to Duatros (although the fact that she had to do it by herself would have required enormous physical effort) and Elsa, of course, had refused.

"No, I can't do that. I have things to do here... besides, if it's not meant to be..."

"If it’s not meant to be? But what about the prophecy, the guardians?

"The prophecy was fulfilled and she owes me nothing..."

"Elsaaaaaaa!"

Kristoff ran into the Queen's office with all the energy of a boy his age, jumping and tripping, until he sat on Elsa's lap.

"She's here"

"Who are you talking about, Kris?"

"Anna! Anna is here"

"W-What are you talking about...?”

"A galleon with Duatros flag has just arrived at the dock, Merik went to meet them and told me to warn you... did I do the right thing?"

"You have done a very good job Kris, now come with me, I think Elsa has a place to go" Silje said, extending a hand to the little one.

"I just..."

"Go now!"

Elsa didn't have to think about it too much, leaving the papers on the desk forgotten, she hurried to the dock, taking a horse from one of the guards to get there faster.

* * *

"I didn't expect to see you around here so soon" was the welcome Merik gave Anna the moment he saw her get off the boat.

"Come to think of it, I should have waited for you sooner" he said smiling.

Anna didn’t expect to be flushed the moment she set foot in the kingdom of Vanaheim, but there she was.

"I just wanted to know how things were around here, you know..."

"From across the Great Sea? On a journey of almost a week?"

"Well I..."

"You're here" Anna heard Elsa's voice and the rest of the world faded before her eyes.

She wanted to get close and hug her, kiss her and forget the terrible month that she had passed away from her, but Elsa was a few steps away and didn’t move.

Suddenly, a gust of wind descended on the main pier of the port, pusheing Elsa in the direction of the redhead, who waited for her with open arms.

"Thank you, Agnes" Anna said as she wrapped Elsa in her arms.

"You're welcome, Anna" Agnes said from behind Merik, the knight was trying not to laugh but with little success.

"Come on, Merik, we have things to do... over there" said the sorceress taking the man by the arm.

"At last," whispered Anna, facing the reason her heart was pounding.

"I didn't know you would come back so soon" Elsa said in a low voice, as if speaking louder would break Anna's image.

"I would have come earlier, but I didn't know if you would want to see me"

"I will always want to see you" Elsa said, putting her arms around the redhead’s neck. She could no longer maintain the facade, nor did she wanted to. She had missed Anna, there was no use denying it.

"I hope your people are not easily shocked," Anna whispered, her breath feathering over the blonde's lips.

Elsa didn’t bother with an answer, she just kissed her. She held her tight against her body, a silent promise of never let her go. Anna hugged her waist and let Elsa’s warmth envelop her. She was finally there. _My home is wherever you are_, she thought.

* * *

A few hours had passed since her arrival in Vanaheim and Anna was getting impatient. She had only had a moment alone with Elsa on the dock, then there had been a parade of people she had to greet, places to be, ceremonies to attend. The capital city of the kingdom had dressed up to receive her and had organized parties and banquets in her honor, but she only wanted to take Elsa's hand and take her to a place where they could... talk. Yes, that... definitely talk.

It seemed like she wasn’t going to have a chance to find a lonely place that night. The Queen was in great demand and Anna couldn't help but feel proud of the young woman. Elsa was comfortable with her new role, her pose was regal and the villagers loved her.

Anna couldn't take her eyes off her, and even Merik's teasing couldn't make her turn away from the blonde. For the gala that they had organized in the main square, Elsa had opted for a light blue suit, with a double trail that still left her back visible and the redhead thanked the heavens that she was there to witness it.

The musicians stood in a corner and the music flooded the alleys around the main square. Immediately everyone jumped into the center of the party and started dancing. Anna looked for Elsa but couldn’t see her anywhere.

_Where is she?,_ she asked no one in particular. She had put on her most handsome suit for the party, with pants tailored to her slim and trained figure and her favorite scarlet jacket, she had even taken extra care to shine her boots.

Anna rose from her seat of honor and began to walk among the people, searching for her Elsa.

When she had already covered most of the square, she felt cold fingers take hers and guide her out of the crowd's watchful eye.

"You took a while to find me," Elsa said, pressing her against the wall in a dark alley.

"I should have imagined that you would look for another alley to hide, these places seem to be the only ones where we can see each other" replied the redhead, putting her arms around her and bringing her closer.

"I don't want any more alleys, Anna. I want you in the castle, in my bed"

Anna only managed to bite her lower lip so as not to let out the moan that those words had incited.

"Guide me. I'll go wherever you go" she said almost breathlessly.

Elsa still didn’t know the streets of the capital well, but she had managed to reach the castle in just a few minutes, with the redhead running behind. They sneaked out of the main gate’s guard and down side corridors until they reached the royal chambers.

Elsa unceremoniously opened the door to her room and closed it behind the redhead. She hadn't managed to lock the door when Anna had her pressed against the door, her lips trailing her neck hungrily.

The kiss led to a caresses and frantic hands, and then the girls' clothes no longer covered their bodies. The redhead had taken Elsa to her bed in seconds and now was lying over her while her hands marked a path of fire through the bare skin of the Queen, who tried frantically to drown her moans. Anna's kisses were desperate, needy. Elsa allowed her to take everything she wanted, the need for affection and human warmth of the redhead was reflected as a mirror in the actions of the Queen.

The lights and the music from the party in the city clashed through the window panes, only silence reached their ears. Silence and their own breathy voices. Neither of them noticed the Fireworks of the celebration. Anna longed to seize every second she could, capture every breath of the woman beneath her, every moan drowned by her own lips.

Elsa's breathing was harsher as the girl tried to bring the redhead closer.

"Anna… please" she pleaded in a desperate whisper.

Anna smiled sideways and prepared herself to satisfy her Queen, she wasted no time in detaching herself from the blonde lips, leaving a warm wet trail while descending her neck. She stopped for a moment over her chest leaving ethereal kisses that were not enough for Elsa who closed her hands on the nape of the redhead, bringing her even closer. But Anna was not one to submit to anyone's will and replaced her mouth with curious and playful fingers.

"Anna..."

"Submit to my will, your majesty, you will not regret it" Anna replied to her lover's prayer.

While her hands continued to caress, etching her fingerprints on Elsa's skin, her mouth went on its own path. The kisses she left were damp and filled with promises of the destination they would eventually reach. She stopped for a moment over her belly, drawing flourishes with her breath and tongue. Elsa's hips accompanied the path of Anna's tongue with erratic spasmodic movements. When the redhead finally arrived at her destination, Elsa was more than ready for her. Anna tried to prolong the agony further by leaving small, tender kisses on the inside of her thighs until Elsa groaned in protest.

Outside, a very tipsy Agnes walked in the corridor with Merik by her arm. She stretched her arms to the ceiling trying to relax her back when a choked groan stopped her movements halfway.

She turned slowly in the direction of the sound to only find the Queen’s bedroom door. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but she knew.

Another moan.

Merik’s face turned in a deep red shade as he realized what was happening inside. Without thinking too much, he walked away as fast as she could dragging a smiling Agnes and trying to erase the images that had formed in his mind.

"I'm so close" babbled the blonde inside the room, very close to her limit.

Anna stopped, wanting to see her face the moment the woman exploded with pleasure in her hands.

She undid the path she had drawn moments before and melted into a deep kiss as Elsa was waiting for her with her arms wide open, determined to keep her close to her skin.

Anna nestled herself between the other woman's legs and began to rock her hips against Elsa's at a frenzied pace, she couldn't stand this self-induced torture any longer. She wanted to possess her with all of her being and at the same time lose herself in her lover's embrace to never be found again. Their sexes met with an erratic and desperate cadence. Their breaths melted into the same air that united them. Elsa brought her hands to Anna's backside to increase the friction between them, the redhead emitted a guttural, almost animal moan and buried her face in Elsa’s neck to silence the other sounds that struggled to leave her throat. Anna wanted to scream and moan with pleasure, she wanted to listen to Elsa moaning her name and begging her not to stop. But they couldn't and that drove her crazy. Clinging to her last thread of sanity, she brought her hand between their bodies and with her fingers found the hot and wet folds of the Queen, plunging her fingers deep into her. Elsa shuddered violently and Anna covered her lips with hers, consuming that last moan plagued with lust that took them both to the abyss of pleasure they longed for.

* * *

The morning found them entangled in the sheets of Elsa's bed. The blonde slept peacefully, her ear firmly planted on of Anna's chest, on her soothing heartbeat. The redhead had woken up a little while ago but didn’t want to break the spell and had been mindlessley caressing her lover's blond hair.

"I don't want you to go" Elsa's sleeping voice reached her ears, maybe she wasn't as asleep as she thought.

"I don't want to go either, but I can't leave the kingdom without its monarch"

"I know" Elsa admitted, surrounding her lover's waist with possessive force.

"But you can come with me" Anna told her, raising the blonde's face until their gazes met. In ice-blue eyes she found many questions and a glimpse of hope.

"Vanaheim has another queen, one who is even carrying an heir. I-I’m not saying you should abandon everything, but you can spend some time with me. You can help me rebuild my land..."

"And what would I get in return?" Elsa asked jokingly

"A ring and the promise of my undying love" Anna replied seriously, reaching under the pillow and taking out a gold ring with a large ruby the color of fire set in the middle. Elsa only managed to kiss her. And they shared that moment as much as they could, even as the sounds of an awakening castle brought them back to reality, but before Elsa could get away from her arms, Anna told to her:

“This is just the beginning, my love. We have many adventures ahead”


End file.
